A 45-year-old man was hospitalized Wednesday after being attacked by a pit bull in the Shastri Park district of Phoenix, South Africa. Authorities have not caught the dog, and they warn it is still a threat to others.
According to a spokesperson from Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA), Prem Balram said, "Residents contacted the RUSA Phoenix Operations Centre requesting urgent medical attention for the seriously injured pedestrian. According to one caller, the dog was still in the vicinity and was a threat to other individuals."
He said that dispatchers arrived at the scene around 5:16 pm and "[t]he man was located on the pavement bleeding extensively from multiple bite wounds to his body and legs. He also sustained a fracture to his left leg."
"According to witnesses, the dog involved in the attack was a pit bull which fled prior to the arrival of first responders. Reaction officers patrolled the area in search of the canine without success," Balram added.
According to IOL, the man was transported to the hospital via ambulance after being stabilized at the scene.
In January, members of the National Freedom Party (NFP) called for stricter legislation on owning pit bulls after a woman was mauled to death in the Limpopo province. According to IOL, the country saw an increase in deaths from pit bull attacks in 2022.
NFP leader in Parliament Ahmed Munzoor Shaik Emam said, "We have a dual challenge here. On the one hand, we need to urgently stop the attacks of pit bulls on humans. These attacks are often deadly, and unprovoked. Research indicates that this is largely due to breeders breeding these dogs for aggression."
"One incentive for these breeders to do this is illegal dog-fighting rings. The other challenge is how we should regulate this particular breed, to ensure there is less incentive to breed for aggression, while owners are required to take complete responsibility for their dog and its actions,” he continued.
"Our priority right now is to stop these attacks. Therefore, the NFP supports harsh and strict legislation in the short to medium term, to ensure we radically decrease the number of attacks," Shaik Emam said. "In the long term, we need the Hawks to act swiftly against these illegal fighting rings, as that is the key to a long-term solution to the challenge of deadly pit bull attacks."
He also recommended that owners be held directly responsible, which could serve as a deterrent for negligent dog ownership.
