POLICE have evacuated the family of the owner of three German Shepherd dogs that attacked and killed eight-yearold Gift Phiri in Meanwood Ndeke at noon on Sunday.

The dogs are said to have strayed from a Mr Samakayi’s home and mauled Gift, who was playing by the pathway of the vicious beasts. Gift’s mother who attempted to save her child, ended up being victim as well though she survived. Although Police swiftly moved to killed the predatory dogs and detain Mr Samakayi, Gift had already died from the wounds.

Tempers flared and Gift’s neighobours started mobilising to attack the family of Mr Samakayi, forcing police to find an alternative residence for them. Yesterday, neighbours were still in an emotive mood, narrating how the dogs had allegedly been terrorising the neighbourhood and preying on their chickens. On Sunday, the full-grown canines found Gift playing with his friends near his home and attacked him. His mother tried to save the boy but she was overpowered.

Jenala Luyande, who witnessed the ordeal, said it was traumatising and heart-breaking to see a young life being lost before her eyes. “It is not true that the boy was attacked just outside Mr Samakayi’s house [owner of the dogs]. Gift was playing with his friends more than 500m away when he met his fate,” a teary Ms Luyande said.

“The owner of dogs is in custody, while the rest of his family members have been evacuated to safety as an incensed crowd threatened to cause damage to the property. Police officers quickly rushed there to save the situation,” police spokesperson Esther Katongo said. A grief-stricken Jacob Phiri, father of the boy, wonders why the owner of the dogs did not cage or tie them knowing very well they were very vicious. Mr Phiri, who was not home at the time the incident happened, said he just received a call from his wife that his son had been killed by three dogs.

“I am a sad man because of the death of my first born son. According to the report I received, it was just negligence on the part of the owners of the dogs because if you look at the house where they came from, and where the incident happened, the distance is quite huge. The other thing is that the whole thing happened at midday when the kids were playing,” Mr Phiri said, holding back tears