Champ was eventually pulled away from the corpse, his eyes apparently a bloody red
Kyk uit! Die hondjaag die bees!” (“Look out! The dog is chasing the beast!”)
The people watched in mild amusement as the 10-month-old pitbull, Champ, chased the cow through the streets of Schornville, King William’s Town, in the Eastern Cape.
The dog had broken out of a yard, some said. Others had it that the dog had broken loose of the rope that was tied to a tree. Either way, by night-time various versions of the story had already evolved.
What we do know for sure is that the cow ran past Delarice’s house, on the township’s main road.
But it was Goppie who followed the rapidly evolving chase down the hill, which now included Delarice and other residents. The cow seemed to have tired from the chase with Champ relentlessly attacking the hind legs of the bovine.
“Bel die polisie! Bel die SPCA!” the small crowd shouted.
Once the cow hit the ground it was done for. Goppie had the good sense to film the entire incident, proof for any disbelievers in Champ’s undoubted killer abilities. With the cow near motionless Champ started humping his kill’s stomach. Goppie was glad he was filming.
Champ was eventually pulled away from the corpse, his eyes apparently a bloody red. It’s because of all the blood he’s tasted, opined one of the onlookers, to the agreement of the gathering.
The police and the SPCA eventually arrived. Champ had to be put down, it was decided. The cow’s throat was slit. The cow’s meat could be contaminated, so don’t eat it, warned the SPCA inspector. There seemed to be a silent consent. The crowd respectfully waited until the SPCA bakkie had cleared the hill before they went about the carcass with knives and an axe. Later aunties and young women appeared in aprons and with enamel bowls for the innards.
That night in Schornville the fires burnt high as tales of the sex-crazed dog versus beast took flight.