An unleashed dog attacked a German tourist on the beach near Eden on the Bay.
Dr Gregor Gawlowski was jogging on the beach between Eden on the Bay and Haakgat on Monday December 5 when he noticed someone walking about five dogs.
Moments later, he found himself seeking refuge in the sea after one of the dogs attacked him, biting him several times on his legs.
The dog walker picked the animal up and ran off into some bushes, leaving the others to harass Dr Gawlowski from the shoreline, before eventually moving off and letting him come out of the water.
“There was no way of calming them down and there was no provocative behaviour from my side,” he said.
He said he had not received any assistance on the beach either during or after the attack, which had left him shaken.
“It makes me scared now to enjoy the beautiful beaches, which are advertised. The vast majority of dogs are not on their leashes and they were completely out of control.” After the attack, he limped to his friend John Gravenor’s Blouberg home, where he has been staying.
It cost him R1 800 to have his wounds treated at Netcare Blaauwberg Hospital. One was so deep it needed three stitches.
Mr Gravenor said the incident was an indictment of how poorly the beach was policed.
“At the end of the day, I am not a happy camper,” he said. “Dogs are unruly, running all over the place. There are signs up, but they cannot be policed. Law enforcement are never on the beach. It is not good for tourism. If this goes overseas, it’s bad news.”
Richard Bosman, the City’s executive director for safety and security, said there were extra law-enforcement patrols on the beaches during the festive season.
“The City will deploy more law enforcement members from 6am to 8am. Eight lifeguards are posted at the Lifesaving Club at Eden on the Bay, five in Melkbosstrand and six in Milnerton. The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) will also be on duty at Melkbosstrand,” he said.
Unleashed dogs and other transgressions could be reported to any law enforcement officer, the law enforcement office at Eden on the Bay or to the control room at 021 596 1999.
