Online Reporter
Trust Freddy
Herald Correspondent
Over 24 200 people have been bitten by dogs across the nation since the beginning of the year, with three fatalities reported, the latest disease surveillance report shows.
This comes in the wake of loud calls from Members of Pariament for the Government to introduce strict regulations and public health measures to target dangerous dog breeds and rising rabies cases.
According to the Ministry of Health and Child Care’s report for the week ending November 16, there were 610 dog bites reported, but no deaths.
Of these, 96 were bitten by vaccinated dogs, 114 by unvaccinated dogs, and 389 by dogs of unknown status.
The highest number of dog bites was recorded in Masvingo Province, which reported 91 bites, followed by Mashonaland West Province with 90 bites.
Cumulatively, since the beginning of the year, there have been 24 207 cases and three deaths.
The initial tragedy occurred in June, when Mr Samuel Machara of New Bluff Hill in Harare was fatally mauled while walking along the street.
He was set upon by four dogs — three pit bulls and a Rottweiler/Anatolian Shepherd crossbreed — that reportedly jumped a low perimeter wall to launch the attack.
Mr Machara died at the scene from severe wounds to his neck, limbs and torso.
The danger persisted into July, when a nine-year-old boy from Darwendale, Zvimba District in Mashonaland West Province, died following an attack by dogs in the farming area.
Most recently, in September, the tragic pattern culminated in the death of 13-year-old Caroline Chari from Nyabira, who was viciously mauled by a pack of six dogs.
Shamva South MP Joseph Mapiki recently raised concern in the National Assembly regarding the inadequate control of dangerous dog breeds, arguing that the enforcement of council by-laws—which provide guidelines for dog ownership and restrict the number of dogs allowed per property—has been inconsistent.
He said Zimbabwe should adopt a multi-faceted hybrid strategy that combines elements of both breed-specific regulations and behaviour-based dangerous dog laws, underpinned by strong enforcement and public education.
Zanu PF Goromonzi West MP Biata Beatrice Karimatsenga-Nyamupinga voiced her fears about the danger posed by the dogs, saying, “When moving in the bush, we fear wild animals, but when we are in residential areas, there are dogs such as the Pit Bull.
“The Pit Bull is killing people. That dog does not listen to instructions from the owner. What is the Government policy on the keeping of animals, in particular dogs like the Pit Bull?”
There was also a call for the enactment of comprehensive national legislation that supersedes fragmented local by laws, providing a clear and consistent framework for dog ownership control and public safety.
The World Health Organisation estimates that rabies causes approximately 59 000 human deaths annually across more than 150 countries, with 95 percent of these cases occurring in Africa and Asia.
Globally, several countries have enacted breed-specific legislation targeting Pit Bull-type dogs.
Twelve European countries, as well as Australia, Canada, parts of the United States, Ecuador, Malaysia, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Singapore, and Venezuela have banned or heavily restricted Pit Bulls.
In Australia, some states mandate sterilisation, while the UK, the Canadian province of Ontario, and various states in US have outright bans in place.
