Talent Gore
MASVINGO, Manicaland and Midlands have the highest number of dog bite cases in the country this year.
There have have been 401 cases of dog bites across the country, with no deaths recorded so far.
This has been revealed by the Ministry of Health and Child Care.
The report for the week ending July 23 highlighted that packs of stray dogs, roaming in most communities, are to blame for many of the bites.
“Of these cases, 71 were bitten by vaccinated dogs, 65 by unvaccinated dogs and 265 by dogs of unknown status.
“The highest number of dog bite cases reported were from Masvingo (76) Manicaland (61) and Midlands (59).
“The cumulative figures for dog bites are 2 013 cases and one death,” reads the report.
In 2021, the Harare City Council sought to reintroduce dog licences.
Council had pegged the licence at $1 250 for male dogs, spayed female ($940), unspayed female ($1 000) and taxi badge ($3 125).
Earlier this year police said cases of dog attacks were worryingly on the rise.
Police national spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi, told our sister newspaper, The Sunday Mail, that dog attacks have become a “serious matter”.
“Some of the dog owners have been charged with culpable homicide,” he said.
“This has become a serious matter. People are breeding dangerous dogs and instead of exercising maximum caution, they actually leave these dogs unattended, while others do not have the security needed for one to have dogs on their premises.”