Stray donkey owners risk US$100 fine

THE Matabeleland Animal Rescue and Equine Sanctuary (MARES) is negotiating with the Bulawayo City Council to enforce by-laws on donkey users or breeders who allow them to wander into residential areas.

Allowing donkeys into town has increased donkey stock theft by 200 percent with 80 percent of the stolen donkeys rebranded, officials have said.

MARES founder and director, Mrs Claire Einhorn said the by-laws will enforce that no donkeys are permitted into the municipal areas, including the townships.

She said they were appealing for funding especially fuel so that they can round up wandering donkeys which will be collected at a fine of US$100 per donkey if the owners are identified.

Mrs Einhorn said donkeys were coming into the city in large numbers especially during the farming season where they are used as drought power.

The company's administrator Mr Nkosana Khumalo, said: "In the evening the donkeys are left to roam the streets and green zones without being monitored resulting in them destroying people's crops or damaging gardens and yards.

In retaliation people end up injuring the donkeys like axing them and inhumane treatment.

"As a welfare organisation, we are for the protection of donkeys from abuse and that is why we are advocating for enforcement of the law to prevent injury to donkeys because they do not realise the damage that will be done by eating people's crops."

Mr Khumalo said they were appealing for the enforcement of the law because human-donkey conflict was bound to occur and the animals are the ones which end up suffering injuries or dying.

Bulawayo has seen an increase in stray donkeys especially in western suburbs and those located on the outskirts of the city.