Resident in trouble for killing 9 dogs

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A BULAWAYO resident has landed herself in trouble after she allegedly administered poisonous chemicals in rubbish pits which killed her neighbours’ nine dogs.

A BULAWAYO resident has landed herself in trouble after she allegedly administered poisonous chemicals in rubbish pits which killed her neighbours’ nine dogs.

BY SILAS NKALA

Rosemary Ann Collen (67) of Douglasdale suburb denied charges of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal when she appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Merilyn Mutshina yesterday.

However, Collen admitted to applying the insecticide into the pits saying she wanted to control flies which were breeding in the pits.

“The reason for applying insecticide was only to maintain a hygienic environment,” she said.

“I am aware that there are dogs straying into my yard exposing me and my staff to rabies.”

Collen said she had asked villagers nearby to keep their dogs and she at some point called the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) over stray pets, but nothing had been done.

Collen said the SPCA at some point came and later said they had no fuel to patrol the area.

One of the complainants, Marvis Sitsha (51) of Hope Fountain Farm in Umguza, told the court that she looked for her dogs for four days only to be told by a neighbour that some dogs were found dead at Collen’s premises.

She said some of the dogs had been buried by Collen’s staff and she feared to approach the accused because she was known for her short temper.

Sitsha claimed two of her dogs had been poisoned.

Another complainant, Ephraim Mabika (34) of Douglasdale, said his dogs went to Collen’s place and ate poison.

An SPCA official, Dumisani Sibanda, said investigations established that Collen had administered poison into pits close to her abattoirs where she disposed chicken feathers and blood.

“The poison she put into the rubbish is dangerous to both livestock and any domestic animals,” he said.

Sibanda said under Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, she was not allowed to use such a chemical at a place where she knew dogs would have access.

“She should have sought advice from the department of pest control as there are specific pesticides that she should have used to control flies instead of what she used,” Sibanda said.

Sibanda said Collen’s property was not fenced.