Motorists saves miner from dog attack

GODWIN MSISHA
Correspondent | Thursday April 15, 2010 00:00

The incident happened near Nchanga North Hospital Mortuary where the dogs are literally camped. The dogs are reported to have followed the hearse of their dead master to the mortuary and seem to be waiting for him to return. The master owned a nearby farm along Solwezi Road on the Copperbelt-Northwestern province highway. While they initially numbered five, they are now 15 as they have been joined by other local dogs, and now waylay unsuspecting passers-by at night.

Miners, who live at the nearby Single Quarters compound, are now living in fear of these dogs. Last week the miner, Jack Chipili was attacked and nearly killed as he walked alone past the mortuary. He tried to sprint for his life but was no match for the eight dogs that attacked him viciously, biting him all over his body.

The motorist, who turned out to be a Good Samaritan, flashed his lights and hooted loudly before coming to an abrupt stop where the dogs were while revving the car engine. The dogs ran in different directions, giving the driver a chance to help the victim into his car, and driving him to Nchanga South Hospital where he was admitted.

Jack Chipili later narrated his ordeal; 'Those dogs are killer dogs.  I knocked off around 23hours. I did not want to wait for my colleagues because they were taking too long in the change house. I decided to leave them since I have a sick child at home. I used to hear stories about the dogs around the mortuary area but I thought they were just stories. When I approached the mortuary, I never noticed the dogs. Suddenly they surrounded me.

I bent to pick up a stone and that seemed to infuriate the dogs even more. After I fell down in panic one of them came for my throat but I managed to wrestle my way out, meanwhile the others where biting me all over. I fell to the ground again and that was when I saw lights from the approaching car.

But I could not try to stand because the dogs were waiting for any slight movement from me. This was a horrifying experience and I am advising pedestrians to use other roads and not the one that passes by the mortuary'.  Local police however say they have not received any complaints from members of the public. Hospital authorities also say that no one has reported the presence of a pack of dogs near the health facility.

But since the attack on Chipili, police have promised to get rid of the dogs. (Sila Press Agency)