By Anna Chibamu
DISTURBED by the deadly Pit Bull Terrier dogs’ vicious and fatal attack of a Harare resident recently, legislators want the breed banned in Zimbabwe.
The Pit Bull Terrier, commonly known as Pitbull, is an aggressive type of canine.
Members of Parliament (MPs) suggested to the Speaker Jacob Mudenda during a Question and Answer session this Wednesday that the dog breed known as Pitbull had become a threat to people’s lives as it is not wired to obey instructions like some of the breeds, hence, it should be banned in the country.
The call comes barely a fortnight after a man was mauled to death by the terrifying dogs in Bluff Hill, Harare.
Zanu PF Goromonzi West MP Biata Beatrice Karimatsenga- Nyamupinga raised concern over the pets-turned-killers.
“When moving in the bush we fear being killed by wild animals but when we are moving in the residential areas there are dogs such as the Pitbull.
“The Pitbull is killing people. That dog does not listen to instructions from the owner. What is the government policy on the keeping of animals, in particular dogs like the Pitbull?
Responding to the question, Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, who is also Leader of Government Business in Parliament, said the law, through councils, clearly stated that a dog owner should have a licence.
“That law clearly states the number of dogs which are allowed in each and every household in towns. In other areas there are no dogs which are allowed.
“That is why the individual who kept a Pitbull which killed someone was arrested. The police apprehended him because it was against the law. The Pitbull needs a licence which is different from other types of dogs because it is a very vicious dog,” Ziyambi said.
In her supplementary question, Karimatsenga-Nyamupinga, however, disputed that the licence itself was not enough to stop such deadly attacks seen in the past week.
She highlighted that the Pitbull loses its memory, hence needs to be outlawed.
“Yes, the licence can be there but we have that type of dog which loses its memory. What are we trying to say if we are allowing people to keep dogs which lose their memory? What are we trying to say about the lives of people?” the MP stated.
Ziyambi told Mudenda that her question could only be responded to by the Veterinary Department, adding she should put the question in writing for further investigation from experts.
“The government policy clearly indicates that for someone to keep dogs, they must be given a licence. If we want to go deeper on the types of licence and groups, it really needs to be written down so that we can go and consult the experts.
“It will be easier for each and every individual in this august House and the rest of the country to understand the requirements needed to keep Pitbull dogs,” Ziyambi explained.
Mudenda ordered the MP to put her question in writing, as it needed further clarification.
Chinhoyi MP Leslie Mhangwa added his weight to the conversation.
“lf we have somebody who has become a danger to the community, he is put in jail or put somewhere else.
“The Pitbull as a breed has become a danger to the people of Zimbabwe. Is there anything that stops us from banning the breed within the country? I think this is the direction we need to move with.”
The Speaker made a ruling that the question by Karimatsenga-Nyamupinga be put in writing and be dealt with next week.
A Harare man, Samuel Machara was recently killed by Pitbulls owned by Mike Mupinga (40) of Bluff Hill in Harare, who was arrested and charged with culpable homicide.
In 2022, a Bulawayo man from Selborne suburb was also bitten to death by his own canines.
Twelve countries in Europe, as well as Australia, Canada, some parts of the United States, Ecuador, Malaysia, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Singapore, and Venezuela, have enacted some form of breed-specific legislation on Pitbull-type dogs, including American Pit Bull Terriers, ranging from outright bans to restrictions and conditions on ownership.
Several states in Australia place restrictions on the breed, including mandatory sterilisation. Pitbulls are banned in the United Kingdom, in the Canadian province of Ontario, and in many locations in the United States.