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Five Boys Allegedly Set Fire to Female Pit Bull in Cape Town

The Animal Welfare Society (AWS) had to remove the charred remains of a female pit bull in Cape Town after the dog was allegedly set on fire by five boys.

A spokesperson from AWS, Allen Perrins, said that resident Fatima du Toit and her two grandchildren witnessed the boys setting the dog on fire.

“No one should ever have to witness such horror and the ear-piercing screams of the dog crying out in pain will haunt them forever because of the inhuman cruelty these boys did to the animal,” said Perrins.

“What makes this crime particularly heinous is its coldblooded nature coupled with the fact that it was committed by children.”

The organization said that the boys were aged between 10 and 13 and reportedly cornered the dog before deliberately setting her on fire.

The neighbor wanted to intervene but was too “shocked and petrified” of violent retribution.

“All she could do was watch in horror and shield her grandchildren from the nightmare unfolding before their eyes. When she finally plucked up the courage to confront the group they ran away cursing and laughing, leading her to suspect they were high on drugs,” Perrins said.

The woman was visibly shaking when she reported the incident to AWS. A number of bystanders took videos and filmed the entire incident instead of intervening.

“We collected the badly decomposed carcass and any other evidence we could gather at the scene,” Perrins said.

Perrins said that it was one of the most gruesome incidents that the organization had seen in over a decade.

“What we saw was absolutely shocking and disgusting. The amount of pain that the poor dog endured is unthinkable. We will do our damnedest to apprehend those responsible and hope that our intervention will help Fatima and her family find peace and closure,” Perrins said.

AWS is asking anyone with information to contact them at 021 692 2626.

Today, pit bulls remain largely misunderstood because of irresponsible “owners”, sensationalist news stories, and the proliferation of myths. As a result, breed-specific legislation (BSL) has popped up in cities across the U.S. that either greatly restricts or completely bans pit bulls as pets. The stigma that marks pit bulls has also contributed to their rise in U.S. shelters. One in four of all animals brought into shelters are pit bulls, and their average euthanasia rate hovers at 93 percent across the board. However, if given the chance, pit bulls can be very loving companions, and in some communities, they have even become heroes, saving people and their guardians from harm.

Discover these top five reasons pit bulls are misunderstood, then help debunk these myths by telling your family, friends, and social media followers the real truth about pit bulls.

While we cannot change the horrific treatment that many animals have already endured in the past, we have the ability to give animals a voice and hold perpetrators accountable for crimes in the present and the future. Many animal abusers are not held accountable by the law, which feeds into this horrific cycle of abuse. You can sign this petition to demand all states make all animal abuse a felony.