Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Child mauled to death by three pit bulls
SABCnews ^ | 6/13

Posted on 06/13/2005 4:57:48 PM PDT by ambrose

Child mauled to death by three pit bulls

June 13, 2005, 17:30

As three pit bull terriers, owned by a policeman, mauled a seven-year-old boy to death, his grandfather tried in vain to fight them off, police said today. The boy's grandfather was also taken to hospital, but was lucky to escape with his life, said captain Cherelle Ehlers, a police spokesperson.

Police are baffled as to why the dogs pounced on young Austin Pieters, and how they had managed to get out of their yard in the small town of Kenhardt, in the Northern Cape. "The dogs got out of their yard and walked three kilometres (by the time they came across the boy)," Ehlers said. "He was playing with his grandfather on a sand dune."

The boy died in hospital yesterday and a post mortem was expected to be done tomorrow. Ehlers said the policeman, an inspector, had been with the police for many years and arrived at the scene soon after the attack. She described the attack as a "vicious" one, and said the boy had suffered multiple injuries. "Just imagine three pit bulls and a tiny boy," she said.

"When is it going to end?" The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) said it was a horrific incident. "It keeps happening. And we have to ask why?" said Chris Kuch, a spokesperson. She referred to similar cases in Pretoria, where a man over 80 was mauled to death, and in the Western Cape, where a dog owner was convicted of manslaughter when his dogs killed a person. "When's it going to end?", Kuch asked.

Ehlers said the dogs had been confiscated from the policeman and were being kept at the Upington Dog Unit. A senior state prosecutor would decide whether the dogs would be put down. "It's out of control," Kuch said. "The owners are responsible and should make sure their dogs are not out of the property.”This is an absolute tragedy," she continued. - Sapa


TOPICS: Pets/Animals
KEYWORDS:

1 posted on 06/13/2005 4:57:49 PM PDT by ambrose
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Shermy; martin_fierro; EggsAckley; HairOfTheDog

ping.


2 posted on 06/13/2005 4:58:10 PM PDT by ambrose (...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ambrose

Gee, pit bulls again. What an amazing coincidence.


3 posted on 06/13/2005 5:01:41 PM PDT by truthkeeper (It's the borders, stupid.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: truthkeeper

These things are worse than mountain lions considering they just kill for sport.


4 posted on 06/13/2005 5:05:23 PM PDT by Wristpin ( Varitek says to A-Rod: "We don't throw at .260 hitters.....")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Wristpin; ambrose

Their jaws alone are unbelievable. Real killing machines. Hey, where's the picture?


5 posted on 06/13/2005 5:08:47 PM PDT by truthkeeper (It's the borders, stupid.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: truthkeeper
"Police are baffled as to why the dogs pounced on young Austin Pieters, and how they had managed to get out of their yard ..."


and isn't it amazing how often these words (or words to this effect) are always in each of these stories!?

6 posted on 06/13/2005 5:18:00 PM PDT by Zacs Mom (Proud wife of a Marine! ... and purveyor of "rampant, unedited dialogue")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: ambrose

This is the second pit bull incident I have read of today. I would not have one of these dogs and whenever I see someone walking one I give them a wide berth.


7 posted on 06/13/2005 6:20:56 PM PDT by Rummyfan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ambrose

This incident apparently happened in South Africa. What happened? Did we run out of pit bull attacks in the US?


8 posted on 06/13/2005 7:52:51 PM PDT by toothfairy86
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson