Councillors raise alarm over stray dogs

Boitumelo Makhurane, Chronicle Reporter
Bulawayo councillors are concerned about the increasing number of stray dogs roaming the city’s streets as well as violation of the relevant by-laws by some residents.

According to the latest council minutes, in line with the city’s Dog Control and Licensing by-laws, people in high density areas are not allowed to keep more than two dogs while those in low density areas are not allowed to keep more than four dogs.

Councillors said there was a need to enforce the relevant by-laws.

Alderman Monica Lubimbi noted that some people in Magwegwe North suburb’s ward 29 had a lot of dogs on their properties and neighbours were now complaining.

Questions were also raised if council had issued licences for dog breeding in the city as some people were keeping too many dogs on their premises.

“In response to questions raised the Director of Health Services explained that Council would engage other stakeholders with regards to the tie- up order. Council by- laws only allowed not more than two dogs in high density areas and not more than four dogs in low density areas. A special licence was issued for commercial dog breeders after relevant inspections,” the council minutes said.

The minutes said 22 notices were issued for various violations of the Bulawayo (Dog Control and Licensing) bylaws and four dogs were impounded and taken to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).

In 2016 the Bulawayo City Council said it would shoot to kill all stray dogs found on the streets following an increase in the number of dog bites across the city. The shoot to kill policy was endorsed by councillors who said there was a likelihood that the stray dogs were not vaccinated, raising the risk of a rabies outbreak.