Chronicle Editor
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
THE Municipality of Beitbridge will soon start enforcing a number of by-laws to control the movement of stray animals in the town in line with its modernisation drive.
The rapid growth of the town has necessitated the need to put effective systems in place.
Beitbridge mayor councillor Munyaradzi Chitsunge said the local authority is implementing a raft of measures to restore sanity on the streets where domestic animals including stray dogs are a common feature.
“As you are aware, we are now a municipality and under some of our by-laws we don’t allow animals in the town whether they are controlled by an individual or they are stray,” he said.
“We are going to start impounding such animals and quarantine them as one of the control measures, so that whoever has a stray animal has to pay a fine. These are punitive measures we are rolling out.
“In addition, we intend to designate areas for those who would be bringing in donkey pulled carts to park outside the town area so that we don’t have animals disturbing traffic flow.”
Residents said in separate interviews that the move by the local authority is long overdue.
They said although the town was located close to some villages there is a need for controls.
Ms Remaketsi Mbedzi said it is important for the town council to come up with measures to regulate the flow of traffic within its jurisdiction.
“We are concerned with the state of affairs in the streets and at the same time we urge members of the community to brand animals and put tags for easy identification should they be impounded within the town,” she said.
Ms Mbedzi said it is also critical for communal farmers to jealously guard their domestic animals since some stock thieves are in the habit of targeting stray animals.
Stray dogs, donkeys and cattle have become common in most suburbs across the border town.
“Such by-laws are very critical especially for our town which is growing rapidly. We need to control the movement of domestic animals considering that they are now a danger to traffic,” said Mr Liberty Masilinge Muleya.
Miss Grace Manja of Kwalu 2 suburb applauded the municipality for acting on stray animals, especially some dogs which are often vicious.
Online Reporter