Vet Services launches dog vaccination programme in Bulawayo

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THE Department of Veterinary Field Services and Tsetse Control under the Agriculture and Rural Development ministry will next week launch a dog vaccination programme in Bulawayo to curb the spread of rabies in the city.

THE Department of Veterinary Field Services and Tsetse Control under the Agriculture and Rural Development ministry will next week launch a dog vaccination programme in Bulawayo to curb the spread of rabies in the city.

BY SILAS NKALA

In a notice carried in a weekly newspaper, the department advised residents to ensure their dogs were vaccinated saying defaulters would be penalised $100 for each dog. Dogs “Thereafter, dog owners are required to have their dogs vaccinated against rabies disease annually,” the notice reads.

“Any person who acquires a dog with neither tattoo marks on the ears nor rabies vaccination certificate shall cause that dog to be vaccinated within seven days of obtaining it, if it is three months old or more.”

The department stated that vaccination may be done by private veterinary surgeons, a government veterinary surgeon or by an authorised person.

“A fine of not more than $100 may be imposed on dog owners who keep custody of unvaccinated dogs.”

The exercise comes at a time Bulawayo residents have raised concern over the increase in the number of stray dogs roaming the residential areas.