Shanique Cole survived the vicious attack, thanks to two neighbors who beat the dogs off her.
The little girl was sent to False Bay Hospital, where she received stitches to more than 15 wounds to her head, shoulder and back.
The owner of the animals admits he had been drinking and when he arrived home, opened his gate and the two male dogs bolted.
On Saturday afternoon, as people were sitting outside on their stoeps and children played in Deftina Road, the two pit bulls named Player and Puppy, charged into the street.
Neighbour Miranda Arries said she ran indoors when she saw the dogs coming.
She explained: “When I looked through the window, I saw the one dog had Shanique in its jaws. All I could do was shout for help.”
The little girl screamed as she was being dragged by the dogs.
She said the owner stood by watching the horrible attack take place.
Two quick-thinking neighbors grabbed a steel pole to beat the dogs.
“Yoh, luckily, another neighbor who is a mechanic, came running with a steel pole when he saw what was happening,” explained Miranda.
“He gave the dogs three hard hits with the pole, but it didn’t work. Only on the fourth hit did the dogs let go of the little girl’s bloody body.”
The toddler’s grandmother, Dorothy Martins, said:”If it wasn’t for the help of the community, the little girl would not have made it.
“I was sad when I saw what my granddaughter looked like, but I thank God she is alive.”
Donavin Arendse, the owner of Player and Puppy, said the children in the street always tease the dogs.
“I came from a friend, where I was drinking. When I opened the gate, they just slipped out and went for the children,” he said.
He claimed he tried to stop the dogs, but they only obey his son Nathaniel, who was at work at the time.
“These dogs never attack for no reason. They kept teasing the dog, that’s why they ran out.”
Donavin’s dogs have been taken away by the SPCA after the incident.
(Daily Voice - March 9, 2017)
