Ekurhuleni draws backlash over new law drafted for dog owners

A new by-law in the City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) is proposing strict measures to deal with issues relating to dogs. These include sterilisation, strays, vicious dogs and the amount of dogs an owner can keep.

This by-law revokes all previous by-laws regarding the keeping of dogs, with the aim of enabling the CoE to exercise control over:

• The number of dogs kept by any person
• The breeding of dogs
• Control over dogs by their owners
• Impounding of stray dogs
• The prevention of nuisances through the keeping of dogs (including carrying plastic bags to pick up dog poop.)

The public have been invited to have their say on the draft by-law via email submissions, by 31 March.

HOW MANY DOGS CAN YOU KEEP?

One of the proposed restrictions relates to the amount of dogs one can keep on their property. For dogs over the age of six months, an owner can have no more than:

• Two dogs at a flat
• Three dogs at a house
• Four dogs at a large house
• Six dogs at an agricultural property

This set of limitations around ownership also specifies that no dogs are allowed on business premises where food or food products are handled, prepared, served or manufactured.

Furthermore, dogs will be required to wear a collar displaying the dog’s name and the owner’s phone number.

Failing that, dogs will need to be ‘chipped’ (have a microchip inserted that contains all pertinent owner information), or be registered with an animal welfare organisation.

These restrictions won’t apply to dogs affiliated with the SA Guide Dog Association, nor to registered breeders. It is neither extended to veterinary clinics, animal pounds, kennels, nor the SAPS/SA Defence Force.

However, these entities will be required to obtain permits.

EKURHULENI SPCA HAS THEIR SAY

The SPCA has come out in support of the draft dog by-law, but with certain concerns.

“Generally, as the SPCAs in Ekurhuleni we are happy there is progress to promulgate one set of dog by-laws for the whole of the city and to replace the old by-laws,” Boksburg SPCA vice-chairperson Willie du Plessis told the Boksburg Advertiser.

“The above are some of the important stand-out provisions for us as SPCAs, but we are concerned and trust that the City will have the resources to deal with the by-laws from an administrative and law enforcement point of view,” he added.