The recent confession by a family member of the deceased woman in Mitchells Plain is heartbreaking — and it confirms what the Pit Bull Federation of South Africa has been warning about for years.
If it is true that the owner intentionally taught the dogs to be aggressive toward humans, then this tragedy was not random, not unavoidable, and not the fault of a breed — it was the result of dangerous human choices.
American Pit Bull Terrier’s (APBT’s) are not naturally aggressive toward people. In fact, human-directed aggression goes against their fundamental temperament. Forcing, conditioning, or training any dog — especially a powerful one — to show aggression toward humans is a recipe for disaster.
As a recognized breed organization, we state this clearly and repeatedly:
APBT and pit bull–type dogs should NOT be kept for protection or guarding purposes
They should NOT be subjected to “man work” or human-aggression training
Teaching a dog to see people as threats is reckless, unethical, and deadly
This practice places families, communities, and the dogs themselves at risk. When things go wrong, it is always the dogs who pay the ultimate price — through death, confiscation, or blanket breed blame — while the real issue is ignored.
This tragic loss of life once again shows that irresponsible ownership, misuse, and deliberate aggression training are what must be addressed — not breed bans, fear-mongering, or misinformation.
We urge the public, authorities, and media:
Stop blaming breeds
Start holding owners accountable
Enforce existing laws
Promote ethical ownership and education
No more lives — human or animal — should be lost because warnings were ignored.
Education saves lives. Accountability saves lives
