The
issue
came
under
scrutiny
during
a
recent
meeting
of
the
Health,
Housing
and
Education
Committee,
where
councillors
warned
that
public
safety
was
at
risk
and
existing
dog
control
by-laws
were
no
longer
sufficient.
The
debate
was
sparked
by
a
disturbing
incident
in
Ward
19,
where
a
stray
dog
bit
five
people
before
fleeing
into
nearby
Robert
Sinyoka
Village.
The
city’s
health
department
confirmed
the
victims
had
received
anti-rabies
treatment,
and
a
search
team
made
up
of
police,
veterinary
services,
and
the
SPCA
was
deployed.
Councillor
Lazarus
Mphadwe
demanded
immediate
action.
“There
are
two
dogs
reportedly
taken
by
the
SPCA
in
Ward
19.
Dangerous
dogs
should
be
eliminated.
Banning
vicious
dog
species
should
be
done
immediately,”
he
said.
His
views
were
shared
by
several
councillors.
Councillor
Adrian
Moyo
called
for
an
outright
ban
“to
protect
the
residents,”
while
Councillor
Royini
Sekete
urged
Council
to
amend
the
city’s
by-laws
to
outlaw
the
breeding
and
keeping
of
aggressive
dogs.
In
Ward
17,
Councillor
Sikhululekile
Moyo
said
stray
dogs
were
not
only
biting
residents
but
also
fouling
public
spaces.
“The
reviewing
of
dog
control
by-laws,
including
a
clause
to
ban
dangerous
species
such
as
Pit
Bulls,
would
be
a
welcome
development,”
she
said.
Committee
chairperson
Councillor
Ntombizodwa
Khumalo
also
supported
the
ban.
She
raised
concerns
over
the
delay
in
implementing
the
city’s
tie-up
order,
a
regulation
requiring
dog
owners
to
keep
their
animals
restrained.
“The
number
of
dog
bites
is
increasing.
There
have
been
suspected
rabies
cases
among
stray
dogs.
If
we
delay
the
tie-up
order
further,
more
residents
will
be
affected,”
she
said.
Town
Clerk
Christopher
Dube
endorsed
the
ban
and
revealed
that
new
dates
were
being
considered
for
the
enforcement
of
the
tie-up
order.
He
cited
a
recent
case
in
Mzilikazi,
where
two
aggressive
dogs
attacked
police
horses,
prompting
the
Zimbabwe
Republic
Police
to
recommend
that
the
animals
be
euthanised.
“All
dangerous
dogs
must
be
euthanised.
The
population
of
stray
dogs
is
growing,
and
Council
must
act
decisively,”
Dube
said.
Chamber
Secretary
Sikhangele
Zhou
confirmed
that
a
national
debate
on
the
ownership
of
Pit
Bulls
is
already
underway.
She
said
Council
would
soon
begin
city-wide
consultations
before
amending
existing
by-laws
to
potentially
ban
not
just
Pit
Bulls
but
other
breeds
deemed
dangerous.
During
a
full
council
meeting
on
Wednesday,
Councillor
Perseverance
Nyathi
asked
about
the
city’s
position
on
breeding
aggressive
dogs.
Adrian
Rendani
Moyo
speaking
on
the
proposal
to
ban
the
breeding
of
Pit
Bulls
in
the
city.
In
response,
Councillor
Adrian
Moyo
said
the
committee
had
already
agreed
in
principle
to
ban
Pit
Bulls.
“As
a
committee,
we
have
looked
at
the
issue
and
we
have
unanimously
agreed
that
the
pit
bull
breed
should
not
be
allowed
in
the
city.
However,
we
would
like
to
do
this
in
a
manner
that
is
procedural
and
in
line
with
all
stakeholders
within
the
city.
We
would
therefore
in
the
near
future
want
to
conduct
consultations
on
the
pit
bull
dogs
and
any
other
breed,”
he
said
In
recent
years,
Zimbabwe
has
witnessed
a
surge
in
fatal
dog
attacks,
many
involving
aggressive
breeds
such
as
Pit
Bulls
and
Boerboels.
According
to
official
data,
nearly
26
000
dog
bite
cases
were
recorded
between
January
and
November
2024
alone.
At
least
13
people
have
been
killed
since
2014.
The
most
recent
incident
occurred
in
June
2025,
when
39-year-old
Samuel
Machara
was
mauled
to
death
by
Pit
Bulls
in
New
Bluffhill,
Harare.
Earlier
cases
include
the
deaths
of
a
nine-year-old
girl
and
a
68-year-old
security
guard
in
2023,
both
attacked
by
Pit
Bulls
in
Harare