Blessing Nduku
In a bold move to ensure public health and safety concerns, the City of Gweru (CoG) has announced plans to cull stray dogs.
Speaking during a meeting with the Gweru Residents and Ratepayers Association (GRRA), Ward 18 Councilor William Mazango said the council is in the process of eliminating all stray dogs.
“We will not hesitate to gun down stray dogs as a way of protecting and securing the public’s health.”
The council plans to conduct an exercise to ensure residents are complying with bylaws regarding the number of dogs per household.
“Therefore, residents will not be allowed to rehome any dogs exceeding the limit of two in high-density suburbs.”
Mazango stressed the importance of residents keeping their dogs in well-secured areas.
“It is important to keep our dogs in well-secured areas such as those with durable walls or fences, to prevent them from roaming and potentially biting people.
The local authority’s announcement comes after residents have raised alarm over the increasing number of bite incidents by stray dogs across the city.
GRRA executive director Cornilia Selipiwe added that the council should protect residents from dog bites and take corrective measures to remove these stray animals from the locations.
According to council statistics, 29 dog bites were recorded from January to March this year. Of these, 11 were from vaccinated dogs, 9 from unvaccinated dogs, and 9 were from dogs of unknown vaccination status.
In 2024, the city registered 143 dog bites, a slight decrease from the previous year’s 148 cases. However, the number of bites from unknown dogs increased from 58 in 2023 to 63 in 2024.
The number of bites from vaccinated dogs decreased from 58 to 52, while the number from unvaccinated dogs declined from 32 to 28.
“Currently, the Midlands province has recorded a total of 101 dog bites, contributing to the country’s cumulative figure of 8,572 cases with no reported deaths.
