BULAWAYO, Apr. 10, (NewsDayLive) - The Bulawayo City Council has issued an order compelling dog owners to keep their pets on leash following a sharp increase in cases of dog bites, amid fears that some of the dogs roaming the streets are unvaccinated.
The new directive, which comes into force on May 5, empowers police to shoot and kill stray dogs.
This was revealed in the latest council report on health, housing and education issues made by health services director Edwin Sibanda Mzingwane last month.
Mzingwane noted that the city had been experiencing an increased number of dog bite injuries in the past few years with 698 injuries and 11 rabies cases recorded in 2022.
“In 2023, there were 597 dog bites whereas in 2024 there were 751 dog bites and one human death," read part of the report.
"In January and February 2025, 72 and 84 cases of dog bites were recorded respectively.
“The number of dog bite injuries was projected at 836 at the end of the year.
"The dog bites were estimated to cost the city’s economy no less than US$117 900 in 2025.
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"Noting that rabies was a fatal disease that almost certainly resulted in death when symptoms had set in, there was a need to control the stray dog population in the city as these would significantly contribute to rabies outbreak.”
"(The tie-up order) would be carried out with assistance from Zimbabwe Republic Police, Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) and Department of Veterinary Services. For public safety, the exercise would be carried out at night,” the report added.
