OMUTHIYA - There has been a renewed call for the banning of the pit bull dogs after a 10-year-old boy was viciously attacked on Friday outside Tsumeb.
The Popular Democratic Movement Youth League (PDMYL) yesterday said the rearing of pit bulls in Namibia has proven to be dangerous to society. The boy, Jason Naloo Ndinomukulili Amagola, is a pupil at Francis Galton Primary School and was attacked by a pit bull while attending scout lessons on a private farm.
He has since been admitted in a local hospital in a serious condition. In a statement, PDMYL secretary general Benson Katjirijova implored parliamentarians to follow in the steps of the UK parliament and push for the legislative instruments that ban the breeding of pit bulls.
“It is needless to say that pit bulls are a danger not only to Namibian society but to the world. This particular breed of dog family is clearly not meant to be domesticated in a human setting. But it is rather meant for the wild or in special concentration camps that suit their anger, viciousness and unpredictability,” stressed Katjirijova.
“We can no longer compromise the safety of our citizens by allowing ordinary people to own and domesticate pit bulls, although there are no correct statistics as to how many people have succumbed to pit bull attacks in Namibia.”
Meanwhile, the chairperson for Society for the Prevention of Cruelty Against Animals (SPCA) in Tsumeb, Michelle Swarts, said it was too early to comment on the incident, as they are still busy with investigations. She promised to provide a formal statement upon completion of their investigation.
“We are looking into the unfortunate case to determine what exactly happened, as to why the dog was caged and what prompted the attack. This will also help us determine if there are any charges that can be brought against the owner,” she added.
Many Namibians, including former education minister Katrina Hanse-Himarwa, have in the past expressed outrage over pit bull terriers. This followed the unfortunate killing of 13-year-old Fred Savage by two pit bulls in Otjomuise during 2015.
Hanse-Himarwa, who then visited the bereaved family, said animals that are dangerous enough to take a person’s life should not be kept as pets.
In 2018, the media also reported that a security guard died shortly after he was attacked by a pit bull belonging to the owner of the property that he was guarding in Otjomuise.
In Otjiwarongo, a female security guard and her daughter were left injured after they were attacked by three pit bulls in 2016.