Publications
- A 15-month-old boy has been killed by a pit bull terrier in East London.
- The toddler was playing with a neighbour's dog when it attacked him.
- He was declared dead after being taken to a nearby hospital.
Eastern Cape police are investigating an alleged pit bull terrier attack in which a 15-month-old boy was killed.
The incident took place at Gonubie Farm in East London on Wednesday, according to police.
The toddler was playing with a neighbour’s pit bull, when it spotted someone walking their dog nearby. The barking pit bull reportedly tried to escape the yard in an attempt to reach the passing dog, said Brigadier Tembinkosi Kinana.
"After failing to leave the yard, the pit bull is alleged to have returned to the child and bit him in the upper body. Subsequent to the incident, paramedics were called to transport the child to a nearby hospital, where he was reported to have succumbed to injuries sustained," he said.
Eastern Cape health department spokesperson Yonela Dekeda referred News24 to the police.
READ | Police to investigate pit bull owner after Free State boy, 3, mauled to death
Kinana said police had opened an inquest case for investigation.
The incident had also been reported to the SPCA, he added.
The East London SPCA confirmed the incident, saying the dog was in their custody, but that they did not have any more information available.
The death is the latest in a series of fatal pit bull attacks.
Over the weekend, three-year-old Keketso Innocent Saule was killed in Hennenman in the Free State, when he was attacked by two pit bulls. One of the dogs was killed by angry residents. They also attacked SPCA staff, who removed the second dog and euthanised it.
Also on Sunday, Cape Town residents beat, stoned and set alight three pit bulls after they had mauled a girl. She sustained serious injuries and was taken to hospital.
