Parents of a 14-month-old baby, who was mauled to death by two dogs in Malmesbury, say they are still trying to come to terms with her death.
The toddler was walking with her sister and mother just outside the family’s home on their smallholding when she was attacked by the dogs.
Her mother Letitia Cupido says parents should never trust dogs around their children. She says she is still in shock.
“There will never be another Lisa like that, never. There is no one who will take her place and the dogs … I don’t know what to say about the dogs. I was loving the dogs you know, but how can they do such things to my daughter.”
Western Cape Police Spokesperson, Sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana, says police arrived on the farm to find the father holding the deceased little girl’s body in his arms.
“According to the mother, she and her two daughters were leaving the house to go to fetch something from the vehicle. Her 14-month-old baby was walking in front of her when their two dogs came towards them. The 14-month-old baby tried to reach out to one of the dogs, when they suddenly attacked her.”
The Cape of Good Hope SPCA has warned parents to be vigilant when there are dogs around their children, especially those under the age of five.
The SPCA’s Brenda Abraham explains, “Children under the age of 5 in particular often do not understand the concept of boundaries when it comes to animals or human and it becomes most evident when it relates to dogs that are families to the child, which is house dogs or dogs belonging to close friends and a combination of an over protected dog and a child who does not understand boundaries can lead to a big problem. Therefore, a dog may bite if it’s provoked by a child.”
Parents have been urged to educate their children about the behaviour around dogs.
