Cape Town - A woman who took her dog for a stroll in Sea Point has been saddled with a R10 000 vet bill after her greyhound was mauled by a pit bull.
Harriet Came said she received no apology from the pit bull owner and has taken to social media to find him.
The incident happened along the promenade at around 6pm on Friday.
She said she saw the pit bull with its owner, and it was on leash.
As Came, her daughter and their greyhound named Rosie continued on their walk, Rosie went closer to the pit bull to greet.
“The pit bull was on the lead, my dog went to it to say hello.
“The pit bull clenched my dog’s face and wouldn’t let go.”
The injuries were so severe that Rosie had to have an operation on her cheek, Came said.
“My dog was distraught and needed urgent attention, and my 11-year-old daughter.
“All I was thinking about was to get my dog and the child out of there.
“There was no apology or anything from the owner of the pit bull.
“It was upsetting, so I put my dog in the car and we went to an animal hospital in Kenilworth,” she said.
“Blood was everywhere. Dogs hold a special place in our hearts, we are traumatised.”
Came said she was now left with a hefty medical bill to pay.
“I’m sitting on a R10 000 bill for my dog. I sent this incident on social media to find the owner and tell him what happened.
“The big story in this is that these dogs are dangerous and they shouldn’t be in public places, or be muzzled. In some countries these dogs are banned, very nice dogs.”
She said Rosie was slowly recovering.
“What is upsetting is that it could have been a child that walked past the dog.”
Green Point Neighbourhood Watch chairperson Peter Flentov said that it was not the first report of a dog being attacked by a “rogue pit bull on the promenade”.
“I don’t know whether these reports involve different pit bulls, or whether it is the same dog,” said Flentov, who was trying to get further details.
mandilakhe.tshwete@inl.co.za