News / Local
BCC 'tie-up order' targets stray dogs
25 Dec 2023 at 04:30hrs | Views
BULAWAYO City Council (BCC) intends to introduce a "tie-up order" where stray dogs will be shot as part of efforts by the local authority to control the growing population of dogs roaming the streets.
The local authority from time to time conducts a tie-up order working in conjunction with other stakeholders to ensure that dogs are confined within their designated places.
In an interview the council's director for health services Dr Edwin Mzingwane Sibanda said the exercise is aimed at curbing the uncontrolled breeding of dogs in the city.
"During this time of the year, we shoot any stray dogs as a means of controlling the breeding of dogs and reducing the number of unregistered dogs which ultimately puts residents at the risk of contracting diseases such as rabies," he said.
"Unknown dogs are unvaccinated and can easily spread rabies to humans and other dogs which may put us in a difficult situation since rabies is incurable. Dogs are also a menace as they tamper with refuse bins and create a mess that makes the city dirty."
Dr Mzingwane Sibanda said the last tie-up exercise was done three years ago and with resources permitting, the local authority will conduct another one early next year.
"We work closely with members of the police, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), and ZimParks so that these shoots are monitored and conducted in a decent and acceptable manner," he said.
"For now, as we work on the logistics, we encourage members of the public to approach our housing offices and see environmental health experts who will guide them on the required conditions for one to keep dogs."
Dr Mzingwane said all dogs should be vaccinated consistently to avoid transmission of rabies and other infections.
Mpilo Central Hospital chief medical officer Dr Narcisius Dzvanga said dogs were a menace at the hospital as they often invade the premises foraging for food.
"We are having a challenge with lots of stray dogs that come from the neighbourhood targeting our dustbins in search of food. The situation is getting out of hand as the number of stray dogs seen around our hospital is increasing," he said.
"They are even a threat to residents and also disrupting our routine operations."
Dr Dzvanga said the local authority council is also failing to collect refuse creating an opportunity for stray dogs to scavenge for leftovers in the dustbins.
Statistics from the Ministry of Health and Child Care's weekly disease surveillance report show that during the last week of November, 546 dog bites were recorded in the country and there were no fatalities.
"Of these cases, 129 (23, 6 percent) were bitten by vaccinated dogs, 125 (23 percent) by unvaccinated dogs, and 292 (53,4 percent) by dogs of unknown status. The highest number of dog bite cases reported this week were from Manicaland Province (83) and the cumulative figures for dog bites are 10 872 cases and 3 deaths."
The local authority from time to time conducts a tie-up order working in conjunction with other stakeholders to ensure that dogs are confined within their designated places.
In an interview the council's director for health services Dr Edwin Mzingwane Sibanda said the exercise is aimed at curbing the uncontrolled breeding of dogs in the city.
"During this time of the year, we shoot any stray dogs as a means of controlling the breeding of dogs and reducing the number of unregistered dogs which ultimately puts residents at the risk of contracting diseases such as rabies," he said.
"Unknown dogs are unvaccinated and can easily spread rabies to humans and other dogs which may put us in a difficult situation since rabies is incurable. Dogs are also a menace as they tamper with refuse bins and create a mess that makes the city dirty."
Dr Mzingwane Sibanda said the last tie-up exercise was done three years ago and with resources permitting, the local authority will conduct another one early next year.
"We work closely with members of the police, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), and ZimParks so that these shoots are monitored and conducted in a decent and acceptable manner," he said.
"For now, as we work on the logistics, we encourage members of the public to approach our housing offices and see environmental health experts who will guide them on the required conditions for one to keep dogs."
Dr Mzingwane said all dogs should be vaccinated consistently to avoid transmission of rabies and other infections.
Mpilo Central Hospital chief medical officer Dr Narcisius Dzvanga said dogs were a menace at the hospital as they often invade the premises foraging for food.
"We are having a challenge with lots of stray dogs that come from the neighbourhood targeting our dustbins in search of food. The situation is getting out of hand as the number of stray dogs seen around our hospital is increasing," he said.
"They are even a threat to residents and also disrupting our routine operations."
Dr Dzvanga said the local authority council is also failing to collect refuse creating an opportunity for stray dogs to scavenge for leftovers in the dustbins.
Statistics from the Ministry of Health and Child Care's weekly disease surveillance report show that during the last week of November, 546 dog bites were recorded in the country and there were no fatalities.
"Of these cases, 129 (23, 6 percent) were bitten by vaccinated dogs, 125 (23 percent) by unvaccinated dogs, and 292 (53,4 percent) by dogs of unknown status. The highest number of dog bite cases reported this week were from Manicaland Province (83) and the cumulative figures for dog bites are 10 872 cases and 3 deaths."
Source - The Chronicle
