Stricter dog control urged

2003-11-11 08:27

Craig Bishop

Pietermaritzburg - If your dog bites someone and you cannot produce a rabies certificate, the dog is likely to be put down by a State vet.

Often, the only way to identify the owner of the dog is through the animal's municipal licence. This is the warning from animal organisations, including the SPCA and vets this week following a spate of attacks by dogs on humans.

However, just like the municipal rates bill, if you think someone else is not paying their municipal rates bill, you might be tempted not to pay either.

The same goes for dog licensing, which is on the verge of collapse, according to animal rights organisations. But while rates defaulters are comparatively easy to bring to book, enforcing dog licences is well nigh impossible, the SPCA said.

The worst offending areas for a lack of dog licences are peri-urban to rural settlements. Conversely, owners of racing and hunting dogs are often extremely meticulous in inoculating their animals, said State vet Dr Brian Weaver.

The concern follows two attacks on residents of Edendale in the last two weeks. The dogs had to be put down to determine whether they did indeed have rabies. If the dogs had been properly licensed and issued with a veterinary inoculation certificate, municipal authorities and the SPCA could have taken a less extreme alternative, officials said.

The benefit of a licence is ease of identification should the dog stray, for example, after firework displays.

Cheap

According to the municipal licensing division, licences for a male or a spayed female dog cost R6. An unspayed bitch costs R12. The licence for a third dog, irrespective of gender or whether it has been spayed or not, is R30. Fines for unlicensed dogs, and uncontrolled dogs within the urban area, start at R75.

But even SPCA officials admit that they have allowed their own dog certificates to lapse because there is neither monitoring, nor enforcement. Attempts by Msunduzi municipality to have the SPCA monitor and enforce dog licensing failed when the SPCA pointed out their lack of resources to do this effectively.

SPCA clinics have made some headway in outlying areas, but there are still vast areas where dogs roam unlicensed and without the necessary canine vaccinations, SPCA spokesperson Maureen Vida said.

"As a requirement for licensing a dog is a valid rabies certificate and a much lower rate is charged for sterilised bitches, the SPCA encourages dog owners to license their dogs as this would assist us with the problem of overpopulation and control of domestic animals."

And with only one "nuisance officer" within the licensing division, municipal officials said that educating people about the need to license dogs is the solution.

Exact figures for the number of licensed and unlicensed dogs are unavailable.

- The Witness