The Cape of Good Hope SPCA has urged lawful ownership and stricter compliance with animal welfare laws after 44-year-old Faziela Swartz died following a dog attack at her Mitchells Plain home. TheCape of Good Hope SPCAhas issued an urgent appeal for lawful dog ownership, sterilisation and responsible breeding following the fatal mauling of a Mitchells Plain woman by two pit bull-type dogs last week. Police confirmed that officers were called to a property in Maralize Street, Morgenster, at about 1.53pm last Tuesday following reports of a dog attack.
The victim, 44-year-old, was transported to hospital by private vehicle but later died from her injuries. An inquest docket has been opened to investigate the circumstances surrounding her death. The claims have not been independently verified as the Cape Argus was unable to obtain comment from the family on the allegations.
In its statement, the SPCA stressed that no assumptions were being made about the specific circumstances of this incident, but said a life had been lost “in a preventable context involving companion animals”. “Pit bull type dogs are very frequently victims of neglect and cruelty. Some have been kept on chains for their entire lives.
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Some have been bred to within an inch of their lives and all are kept in circumstances that do not meet their needs. In order to reduce the risk to communities, we must stop the cruelty and neglect and the scale of indiscriminate breeding in this city,” the organisation said. The SPCA said it enforces the Animals Protection Act and regularly removes dogs from properties where they are confined, chained, malnourished or otherwise cruelly treated.
It added that preventing further incidents requires compliance at every level, including adherence to municipal by-laws and responsible ownership. On-site animal behaviourist Nicole Nel said indiscriminate breeding has far-reaching consequences.
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