Gweru receives dog elimination opposition

GWERU – The Gweru City Council has received opposition from animal groups in its plan to shoot
stray dogs that have wreaked havoc in the city.
The city recently published a dog-tie order after numerous complaints by residents about the
increasing number of stray dogs.
A stray dog recently caused an accident in Tinshel Suburb when it chased a child who ran into a
vehicle. The child broke a limp as a result of the accident.
Following the accident, the council received increased calls from residents to eliminate the dogs,
some of which were attacking chickens and other domestic animals.
Council director of Health Services, Sam Sekenhamo told the 699th ordinary council meeting that
their plan to shoot the dogs after the lapse of the dog-tie order grace period had faced resistance
from organisations linked to the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
“There is an institution called the Special Dogs Association of Zimbabwe that wrote to us through
their lawyers saying we cannot institute a shoot-out for the stray dogs.
“They are challenging the shooting saying it is inhuman but we should rather put them to sleep
through injections, which is expensive for us. They are saying the use of bullets is inhuman but we
should kill them peacefully through injections,” he said.
Sekenhamo said even their plan to shoot donkeys, which are being kept illegally in residential areas
had been challenged by the Donkeys Association of Zimbabwe.
He said they were going to sit down with the SPCA to find the way forward.
Ward 7 councillor Gideon Mugariri said there was a need for the relevant department to act as some
residents are concerned with the increased number of stray dogs in the city.
An earlier proposal to eliminate donkeys in Mkoba faced resistance from the SPCA, which said the
council should provide them with land to construct a pound for the animals’ safekeeping.