canine attack
© Angela Antunes / CC by 2.0
The Boerboel had never shown signs of aggression but bit his owner to death. He was later shot in order for police and a doctor to enter the premises to attend to the victim.

An elderly Northern Cape farmer was killed by his pet boerboel on Saturday afternoon, reports Vaal Weekblad.

80-year-old Piet Lategan died in his house, after his fiancé managed to drag him inside after the attack.

According to local publication FiND iT, Lategan's daughter Betsie Swanepoel said that when it began to rain and hail this past weekend, Piet wanted to get a blanket to cover one side of his car, to protect it from the hail.

"My father and his fiancé, Santa Venter, 64, went outside to cover the car when their pet Boerboel bit her dress. She grabbed her dress from the dog's grip.

"We don't know if the sound of the hail on the corrugated iron roof may have triggered the dog, but he became disorientated. He jumped on my father and bit him. My father fell backwards and the dog stood on top of him and continued to bite him on his face and neck."

Betsie said Piet's fiancé tried to get the dog off him, and even broke a walking stick while hitting the dog, but he did not stop biting him.

Santa eventually managed to drag Piet into the house and closed the safety door. A doctor was called, but Piet took his last breath as the doctor arrived.

80-year-old Piet Lategan, who was bitten to death by his three-year-old pet boerboel.
80-year-old Piet Lategan, who was bitten to death by his three-year-old pet boerboel.
Betsie said the dog was three years old and had never been aggressive.

"Something must have frightened him. He never liked loud noises," she said.

The doctor and police weren't able to enter the premises, and the dog was eventually shot and killed.

Betsie said the incident should be a warning to others that loud noises, especially fireworks, could make dogs aggressive.

"People always think that something like this would never happen to them."

Piet will be buried on Friday in Tadcaster.

This article was translated from Afrikaans by Nica Schreuder