By 
Mambwe Town Council is scheduled to commence a dog elimination exercise, for all stray dogs, in the first quarter of 2023.
This follows the revelations by the District Health Director, George Mushanga that Mambwe District has recorded a total 71 dog bite cases in 2022.
By law a dog only ceases to be stray if it is fully vaccinated and registered as well as well-kept from wondering in the streets.
Speaking during the district preparedness meeting held in Zambia’s Mambwe town on Wednesday, Mambwe Town Council Secretary John Mwanza noted that a lot needed to be done to raise awareness on dog registration and vaccination.
“By law each household was only allowed to keep two dogs, but in an event, you decide to have more than two, you need to take the necessary procedures,” Mwanza reminded dog owners.
He called for collaborative efforts in dog control as he also appealed on traditional leaders to help enhance sensitization on dog control, registrations and vaccination.
“As the Local Authority, we believe the rise in dog bites can also be attributed to the possible increase in the population of dogs in the district, we are also aware that despite the law not allowing the keeping of more than two dogs per house hold, some people still do, and therefore
measures should be taken to ensure people are safe from dog bite threats,” he said.
All dog owners have therefore been encouraged to visit the public health section for dog registration but they should ensure to have their dog vaccinated first before having it registered.
Dog registration is mandatory by law, in accordance with the Dog Control Act in Part II, Section 6 (1) CAP 247 of the laws of Zambia, as keeping unregistered dogs is illegal.
The Dog control Act states that: “Every owner or other person having the custody or control of a dog of the apparent age of three months or over shall register such dog and take out in respect thereof a badge and a certificate of registration as hereinafter provided.”
Comments