WARNING: Article contains graphic images
A Manenberg man is demanding justice for his pitbull after the animal was shot in the eye during a police raid.
The shooting in Peta Court on Friday saw angry mense getting into a bekgeveg with heavily-armed cops as they questioned why the pitbull pup was shot.
Owner Abdul Smith, 34, says he was visiting his in-laws with his three pitbulls where they had planned on bathing the animals.
He explains: “The police came into the court and arrested someone at another flat and they came into my mother-in-laws house to search as well.
“The other dogs were already inside the room and the young one, NayNay, who is only 18 months old ran towards the gate.”
Smith says a female relative ran after the hond and they heard a shot going off.
“They just shot my dog through the gate and the bullet could have hit the woman. The mense were angry because what if they had shot a child?
“We went to the station to make a case against them but we were turned away. I rushed my dog to Animal Welfare [Animal Welfare of Society SA] in Philippi and they helped me. I was told my puppy will lose her eye.”
AWS SA spokesperson Allan Perrins, says an operation will be performed as soon as it’s deemed safe, adding: “In the meantime, we have successfully removed what appears to be a rubber bullet from her right eye socket.”
Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Joseph Swartbooi says officers took action after three pitbulls were set on them.
He reports: “Police members deployed in the Manenberg policing precinct were following up on information of dealing in drugs on Friday, 27 December.
“Upon arrival in Peta Court, an unidentified person set three dogs on the officers who took action. The dogs ran away.
“The members, however, entered the premises, searched the occupants and recovered 39 sachets filled with methamphetamine. They detained a 28-year-old man for possession of drugs.”
Smith, however, claims cops are covering their tracks, adding: “The person they arrested was not at my family’s house.”