(under section 38)
(26th February, 1971)
ARRANGEMENT OF BYE-LAWS
BYE-LAWS
1. Citation
2. Interpretation
3. Yapping, etc., of dogs and bitches in season
4. Troublesome, dangerous or infected dogs
5. Detention and destruction of abandoned or diseased dogs
6. Diseased dogs to be presented for treatment
7. Dogs to be vaccinated against rabies
8. Licensing of dogs
9. Penalties
S.I. 17, 1971.
These Bye-laws may be cited as the Dogs (Model) Bye-laws*.
*Originally made under the Township Act now repealed, these regulations have been continued under s 94(2) of the Local Government Act, 2013.
In these Bye-laws, unless the context otherwise requires
“District Council” means any district council which has adopted these Bye-laws;
“dog” includes a bitch;
“public place” means any road, street, thoroughfare, bridge, foot pavement, open space or park within the area of jurisdiction of the District Council and any enclosed space controlled by the District Council;
“rabies certificate” means a certificate signed by a veterinary official within a period of three years prior to its production stating that the dog (being a dog which was six months old or older at the time of the vaccination) has been vaccinated against rabies;
“veterinary official” means a veterinary officer, livestock officer, or stock inspector employed in the service of the Government.
3. Yapping, etc., of dogs and bitches in season
(1) No person shall permit the yapping, whining or barking of dogs so as to disturb the comfort of any inhabitants of the area of jurisdiction of the District Council.
(2) No person shall allow any bitch to be at large at such time as she is on heat or in season.
4. Troublesome, dangerous or infected dogs
(1) No person shall allow any troublesome, ferocious or dangerous dog, or any dog which is suffering from a contagious or infectious disease, to be at large off the premises on which such dog is normally kept.
(2) Any person who keeps any dog of the nature described in paragraph (1) shall display at the principal entrance of the property where the dog is kept a clearly legible sign reading “BEWARE OF THE DOG” or “TSHABA NTSA”.
5. Detention and destruction of abandoned or diseased dogs
(1) An employee of the Council authorised thereto by the District Council Secretary may detain and remove to kennels or other premises owned by the Council any dog which is at large in a public place.
(2) If such dog is wearing a dog collar with a current licence badge affixed to it the District Council Secretary shall forthwith notify the person to whom the licence was issued that the dog has been detained, and shall also notify him where it is detained.
(3) If a dog detained under the provisions of sub-bye-law (1) is not claimed by or on behalf of its owner within seven days after such detention or, where notification has been given in terms of sub-bye-law (2), within seven days of such notification, it shall be deemed to be abandoned and in such event the District Council Secretary may cause such dog to be destroyed or otherwise disposed of:
Provided that the District Council Secretary may authorise the destruction of the dog prior to the expiration of the period of seven days referred to in this bye-law where he has reason to believe that it is genuinely abandoned or is without an owner or that it is suffering from an infectious or contagious disease of a serious nature and that the destruction of the dog is necessary for the purpose of controlling the spread of such disease.
(4) The owner of any dog detained under the provisions of this bye-law may reclaim such dog, so long as it remains in the custody of the Council, on payment of a fee of 20 thebe for each day during which it has been so detained.
6. Diseased dogs to be presented for treatment
Any person who keeps a dog which shows signs of suffering from an infectious or contagious disease shall immediately present such dog for treatment to a veterinary official.
7. Dogs to be vaccinated against rabies
(1) No person shall keep a dog over the apparent age of six months unless the dog has been vaccinated against rabies and the person keeping the dog is in possession of a rabies certificate relating to the dog.
(2) The District Council Secretary may authorise the destruction of any dog if the person keeping the dog is unable to produce a rabies certificate relating to that dog:
Provided that for the purposes of this bye-law a current licence badge in respect of the particular dog shall be deemed equivalent to a rabies certificate.
(1) No person shall keep a dog over the age of six months unless it is licensed in terms of this bye-law.
(2) A licence for a dog shall be issued by the Council on application and on production of a rabies certificate relating to that dog, and shall be issued for a twelve-month period commencing on 1st January and terminating on 31st December in any year, on payment of a fee of 60 thebe:
Provided that the fee payable shall be half the amount prescribed in this sub-bye-law where a dog is brought into the Council area, or attains the age of six months, on or after 1st July in any year.
Any person who fails to comply with these Bye-laws shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding P20 or, in default thereof, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two months.