The people are the pit bulls

It shocks me that so many ignorant and ill-advised Zululanders have turned their claws on the SPCA and the charity’s hardworking inspectors after a family’s pit bull attacked a toddler.

These are good people working night and day for small change to rescue abused and neglected pets who don’t have voices to speak up for themselves.

They have dedicated their lives to a cause that often leads them to extremely dangerous and traumatic situations that neither you nor I have the guts or heart to cope with.

The first article covering the attack on the child offered tips from SPCA Richards Bay’s Alicia Thurtell. These were obviously meant to be constructive pointers and not the basis for waging a reckless and useless war of words.

Call me crazy, but I happen to have throws on couches and dog blankets outside that are much closer to use at my disposal than the knives in the kitchen, should my dog ever decide to attack.

I would, unlike some people who offered their ridiculous opinions on the ZO Facebook page, not prefer to ‘wring my dog’s neck’ – this is illegal.

The SPCA, like our SAPS, is the authority we’ve got to enforce these laws.

If we didn’t have our SPCAs and their competent inspectors, we could look forward to serious rabies threats, no regulator for strays, inhumane slaughtering of livestock (possibly by your very own neighbour) and no watchdog over the welfare of our beautiful animals in this region, including our beloved furry friends.

So thank you SPCAs. Thank you for doing this vital work, even though it’s mostly thankless and you are often criticised instead of appreciated in Zululand.

ANIMAL LOVER