Pennington Beach, known for its unspoilt sandy shores, has seen three separate dog bite incidents in the space of a week.
A lifeguard, a waiter and a new Pennington resident were bitten by dogs in three separate incidents in just one week, prompting Tidy Towns Pennington to renew its call for dog owners to keep their pets on leashes and obey beach rules.
Tidy Towns Pennington’s Viv Sandwith told IOL Umdoni municipal bylaws prohibit dogs on the popular KwaZulu-Natal south coast beach.
“However a blind eye has been turned over the years, as it is very popular with residents to take their dog for a walk on the beach. We are dog lovers and know that 95% of dogs are friendly, harmless and predictable.”
“Tidy Towns Pennington is working with Umdoni Municipality to address this issue. After these incidents they may be forced to take a tougher stance on enforcing the by-law. No-one expects their dog to attack a human or another dog. But the chances are greater when they are exposed to a large variety of people and dogs in public places,” she said.
