South Africa: “We will never own dogs again” says grieving dad

SOUTH AFRICA -- The father of the 32-year-old Mpho Mokoena who was attacked and killed by family dogs at their Pietermaritzburg home on Monday, says he can never again own dogs after what the family’s three pet dogs did to his beloved daughter.

Shadrack Mokoena who is an official at the department of education said he was driving to Impendle when he got a call to rush back home, Maritzburg Sun reported.

“At first I thought my home was burgled but then as I was rushing back home I got more calls informing me of the tragedy, that our family dogs had attacked and killed my daughter,” said Mokoena.

Mokoena points to the site where his daughter 
had been  mauled to death by their three dogs. 
Photo: Maritzburg Sun.

At his home in Braithewaite Road, Montrose, police and specialist animal handlers from the SPCA were confronted with the gruesome sight of the young woman’s savaged body. The family’s three dogs, two Rottweilers and a Boerboel, had turned on her when she had apparently gone outside to stop them barking at the neighbors.

From across the fence the neighbor’s domestic worker had witnessed the entire gory scene but could only scream helplessly as the dogs savaged the woman.

“My heart is broken, because I saw it happen, I don’t know how I’m going to sleep tonight. I saw her trying to grab hold of the hose pipe to chase the dogs away, but they were already on top of her ripping at her body. I cannot get the image out of my head. I hate all dogs now, I can’t trust them,” said the traumatised domestic worker.

Police and SPCA officials at the scene were themselves unable to enter the yard due to the dogs’ aggression and shot dead two of the animals. The third dog was later destroyed.

“When I got home after being told about the incident, already two dogs were shot dead. The police suggested the other dog to be killed and I agreed because I would not allow them to be part of the family after killing my daughter,” said Mokoena.

He said his daughter who was the mother of a young child, had helped raise the three dogs ever since they were puppies and that she was responsible for feeding them every day.

“Mpho had special needs. She went to Peterpan for 18 years and as a family we decided she stayed at home and looked after the house while we provide everything for her. We had the dogs as puppies and she fed them always. We’ve owned three sets of dogs in the past including a set of female Rottweilers. These dogs were no threat to the family and we always made sure that dogs were secured especially when the gardeners are around,” he said.

The father believes that the dogs turned on the Mpho after she shouted at them for their aggressiveness towards the neighbour.

He said his neighbors did everything possible to try and save his child by throwing stones at the animals and even trying to lure them away from the attack with pieces of meat.

(The Citizen - April 29, 2016)

Earlier:

• South Africa: Maritzburg woman mauled to death by 3 dogs