Bulawayo Correspondent
Bulawayo City Council wants to ban the importation, breeding and acquisition of pit bulls and rottweilers following concerns over fatal attacks involving dangerous dogs.
The motion was moved by Ward 14 Councillor Dumisani Netha during a full council meeting, where he called for urgent measures to protect residents from potentially aggressive dog breeds.
Netha cited a recent fatal dog attack in Harare, warning that Bulawayo could also experience similar incidents if authorities failed to act.
He said the city had recorded several such incidents, raising concerns about the safety of residents.
“A life was recently lost in Harare, taken by vicious dogs. We must ask: could this happen in Bulawayo? Yes, it has happened several times,” Netha said.
He argued that breeds such as pit bulls and rottweilers possess considerable strength and can pose a danger to human life, adding that public safety should take precedence over concerns about restricting dog ownership.
“Our primary duty is the safety of our citizens. Therefore, I move that this council immediately ban the importation, breeding, and new acquisition of these dangerous breeds,” he said.
Netha urged council to adopt the motion and refer it to the relevant committee responsible for human resources and related matters for the urgent crafting of by-laws to give effect to the proposed restrictions.
He warned against waiting for another tragedy before taking action, calling on councillors to prioritise the protection of residents.
The proposal, if adopted and translated into enforceable by-laws, would introduce restrictions on the importation, breeding and acquisition of the named dog breeds in Bulawayo.
