Bulawayo Records 76 Dog Bite Cases In January 2026 Alone

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) has warned that Bulawayo is now a rabies hotspot, following a rise in dog bite incidents over the years.

According to the latest council minutes, 76 dog bite cases were recorded across the city in January 2026.

Of these, only 12 dogs were vaccinated, 23 were unvaccinated, and 41 had an unknown vaccination status, raising concerns about compliance with pet vaccination rules.

To tackle the problem, the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) introduced a tie-up order requiring residents to keep their dogs secured and decided to shoot stray dogs found roaming residential areas. The city has also tried to ban the breeding of aggressive dog breeds, such as pitbulls.

Despite these measures, dog bite cases remain high. In Mzilikazi suburb, a domestic dog recently tested positive for rabies.

Councillor Ntombizodwa Khumalo, chairperson of the Health, Housing and Education Committee, expressed disappointment over the continued rise in dog bite incidents. She said:

“Dog bites have increased because of the stray dog population. Residents are failing to secure their dogs.”

Responding to the concerns, a council official from the city’s health department said that the person bitten by the rabies-positive dog in Mzilikazi suburb has already received medical treatment. The official said:

“The victim has since been given injections and medication. The tie-up order is being fully supported compared to other control methods done by other stakeholders.

“SPCA has recommended that stray dogs be captured using cages. The output has been very small in terms of figures.

“Only four dogs can be captured a day, compared to the tie-up order, where at least 10 dogs can be brought down per patrol.”

More: CITE

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