James Lech, left, and famous dog-whisperer, Cesar Millan, right.

Morning spice reported that a dog attacked a two-year-old girl at Clifton’s first beach on Wednesday this morning. It turns out that the same dog whisperer, James Lech, responsible for a dog that mauled a girl in a similar attack last year, is responsible for this latest incident too.

The City of Cape Town’s Specialised Law Enforcement Services is earnestly looking into James Lech, who still describes himself on his website as the “Dog Shaman” and “number one” in his field in South Africa.

Regular 2oceansVibe readers will recall that one of Lech’s rehabilitated Rottweilers mauled a four-year-old girl in the upmarket Hyde Park shopping centre last July.

As was clear from the video evidence of that attack, little Sadie Kukkuk was extremely lucky to get away with modest injuries.

Now, Meeka Riley has been extremely lucky not to be paralysed when one of Lech’s three unleashed Rottweilers roaming Clifton’s first beach attacked her.

Liska October, Meeka’s aunt, who was with her at the time of the attack:

I looked away from her for just a second. When I looked back at her a Rottweiler was clutching her leg. [The dog] started dragging her towards the sand. I froze… the next thing I knew I was on top of the dog, struggling to get it off her leg.

Meeka started screaming and then she went quiet. A crowd formed around us, people trying to pull the dog away, and then I lost sight of her. Suddenly I heard her calling my name.

I just went to her and held her. A huge chunk of her upper leg was missing.

The doctor said the operation went well. He said the dog’s teeth just missed the main nerve in her leg, so she would have been paralysed if it had been closer. She’s on a drip for the pain, so she will be okay for now. But she’s very traumatised, so she needs counselling.

Wilfred Solomons-Johannes, the City’s Disaster Management spokesman, very rightly described Lech as “very co-operative.” He also confirmed Lech had been breaking the law by walking his dogs on Clifton Beach because of its Blue Flag status.

Lech has told the Cape Times: “I have been advised not to talk to anyone about this matter.”

His website still professes that he:

Applies his unique and special shamanic gift in animal communication and healing.

The dogs James has the benefit of working with become well-behaved and well-balanced provided the owners are committed to the application of the techniques taught by James.

Meeka underwent more than four hours of surgery on Wednesday night, but was discharged yesterday so she could rest at home.

Lech makes guest appearances on morning TV show Expresso on SABC3, and Radio 702’s Pet Care Line show, but many people probably won’t believe what he has to say anymore now that he’s been involved in a second violent incident.

[Sources: 2oceansVibe, IOL, iAfrica]