Lusaka dogs registration rises
Written by Millennium on July 19, 2019
NCHIMUNYA CHIDAKWA writes
@SunZambian
OVER 930 dogs have been registered with Lusaka City Council (LCC) during the first half of 2019 as compared to 367 dogs registered during the same period last year, public relations manager, George Sichimba, has disclosed.
Mr Sichimba attributed the increase in the number of dogs registered this year to the sensitization programme embarked by the local authority mid last year.
In a statement to the Sun, Mr Sichimba said LCC, through its Public Health department, had embarked on a door-to-door registration, vaccination and sensitization programme.
He said the residents were also being sensitised on how to keep dogs in line with the Control of Dogs Act, Cap 247 of the Laws of Zambia.
“During the period under review, one vendor was fined for vending in puppies at Manda Hill Foot Bridge while three people were fined for failure to confine their dogs. The cases of failure to confine dogs were reported from New Kasama, Roma and Matero townships,” Mr Shichimba said.
He added, “935 dogs have been registered in the first half of 2019 compared to 367 dogs that were registered during the same year last year.”
Mr Sichimba said currently, there was an active case in the Fast Track Court where one person was appealing for failure to confine and register dogs and for keeping more than two dogs without permission from the Council.
Meanwhile, 15 dogs had been culled in different locations of Lusaka during the same period.
Mr Sichimba said dogs should be secured during daytime by way of chaining or locking them up and let free at night but even when let free at night, they should be confined to the owner’s premises.
“The reason for chaining or locking up dogs during the day is to prevent them from straying outside the premises and causing havoc to innocent passersby,” Mr Shichimba said.
“Many people have not been observing the requirements of the law hence the prevalence of dogs roaming the streets in most townships,” he said
Mr Sichimba said the problem of stray dogs was also very common in schools, colleges and universities thereby threatening the safety of students.
He urged the owners of the dogs to follow the law in order to avoid cases of dog bites and stop rabies.
In 2017, LCC, Animal Welfare Society of Zambia, Ministry of Health, University of Zambia (UNZA) Department of Veterinary Services, launched a progranmme to eliminate rabies in Lusaka.
