Boy, 5, torn apart by two killer pit bulls while he was walking back to his home
A five-year-old boy was killed by two pit bulls as they tore him apart while he walked home to his mum.
The boy had been staying the night with his grandmother when he set off back to his home and was attacked by the dogs as he walked down the street.
The attack was so savage that a tooth from one of the dogs punctured the terrified boy's right kidney with its powerful bite.
Police later named the victim as Zibele Liyakhanya Mthi who was found still alive by horrified neighbours in the village of Dyamala, near the town of Alice in South Africa's Eastern Cape.
He was rushed to hospital but died later from his severe injuries.
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The boy had been staying with his grandma but was attacked on his way home to mum (stock image) (Newsflash)Zibele had been walking home to his mum at 8am on 7th April so the family could go to a Good Friday Easter church service together, according to local media.
South Africa's SPCA animal charity has reportedly taken the dogs into care when a decision is made on what to do with them.
The dogs are understood to have escaped from a home near Zibele 's grandmother's house.
The tragedy has increased calls for pit bulls to be banned in domestic homes in South Africa, with a petition launched to urge the government to act before there are more child deaths.
In the UK earlier this week, dog experts warned that anyone buying a pup online should check carefully before bringing a potentially dangerous animal into their home.
The incident happened in Dyamala village in South Africa (Google Maps/Newsflash)They also want more regulation of breeders and mandatory training for owners and dogs to help prevent attacks.
Hundreds of XL American bullys and American bulldogs are being sold on sites such as Gumtree and Pets 4 Homes.
With just a few clicks we found over 20,000 dogs for sale on Gumtree and Pets 4 Homes across the country, a mix of puppies and adult dogs looking to be sold on to a new home.
Of these, 1,049 were American bullys – including 128 in Manchester, 201 in London and 75 in Leeds – and 135 were American Bulldogs.
Several of the listings alluded to behavioural problems with the dogs, for example advertising them as “not suitable for a family with a young child”.
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American bullys are a cross of various guard dog breeds including the American pit bull terrier, a breed banned in the UK under the 1991 Dangerous Dogs Act. Bullys or bully crosses were behind six in 10 fatal dog attacks last year.
Experts say the sale of animals online needs careful attention to stay safe.
Shaun Hesmondhalgh, an expert in dangerous dog legislation, said: “Anyone can say, ‘I fancy an American bulldog’, and just pick one up from a site such as Gumtree.
"But it can be people haven’t done the homework, they don’t know anything about the breeder, what the breeding conditions were, what the dog’s parents were like and if they had behavioural problems, whether it was a backstreet amateur breeder.
“The public have to take responsibility, and they have to be more sensible about where they are buying their dogs from.
“There needs to be an element of ‘buyer beware’ when purchasing an animal online without checks.”
He warned crosses created from aggressive breeds can be hard to control.
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