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A quick-thinking dog owner stopped a man from stealing his pit bull in Port Elizabeth earlier this month. Watch.
CCTV footage of the incident shows the man playing with the dog while the owner is on his phone nearby. The man can then be seen grabbing the dog by the collar in an attempt to pull him over a fence.
Marizanne Ferreira, an animal rescue volunteer, posted the video on her Facebook page after being contacted by the owner.
"He told me he was approached by a gentleman who claimed the dog belonged to him and he wanted it back."
Ferreira told News24 the owner had rescued the puppy in June.
"The owner said he had asked the man to provide papers, proving his ownership of the dog, but he was unable to do so.
"He then tried contacting the police as you can see in the video and in that time the man tried to pull the dog over the fence."
According to Ferreira, the man ran away after trying to snatch the dog.
"The dog owner eventually made contact with the police to open a case of attempted theft but they referred him to me instead."
Ferreira, who specialises in animal rescues in Port Elizabeth, said she was able to give the owner advice on how to safeguard his pet.
"Dognapping is rife at the moment, so it is important that owners put the right measures in place to protect their pets."
Ferreira said the owner was in the process of safeguarding his property for his furry friend while it was temporarily residing elsewhere.
According to Ferreira, several measures should be put in place before bringing a pit bull home
These include:
- Walls/fencing should be at least 2.4m high, with an electric fence at the top,
- Try to ensure your dog is not visible from the front gate - install a second gate if necessary,
- Male pit bulls should be sterilised to curb aggression.
