Tuesday, 3 June 2025

PITBULLS FACE BAN

Harare is mulling a ban on dangerous dogs, with municipal police officers having been instructed to shoot to kill all strays.

This follows the case of a Harare man, Mr Samuel Machera, who was on Saturday night mauled to death by vicious dogs owned by Mr Mike Mupinga, who is scheduled to appear in court today on culpable homicide charges.

What began as an ordinary Saturday evening stroll ended in tragedy for Mr Machera, a resident who never made it back home.

His lifeless body was discovered early Sunday morning, gruesomely mauled by a pack of dogs in a chilling incident that has left the community shaken.

The Herald yesterday visited the scene of the attack, where a sense of horror still lingered in the air.

The yard where Mr Machera is believed to have met his fate is enclosed by precast walls barely higher than a normal man’s knees.

With such low boundaries, the dogs, suspected to have come from within the property, had easy access to the street, raising serious questions about safety and containment.

According to experts, pit bulls are associated with a higher risk of danger compared to other dog breeds.

While the breed itself does not inherently guarantee dangerous behaviour, pit bulls and mixes are responsible for a significant number of attacks.

Their bite style, characterised by a hold-and-shake technique, can cause severe damage, potentially leading to permanent injuries.

Responsible ownership is critical, but the breed’s potential for inflicting harm is a valid concern.

Neighbours gathered at the blood-stained scene, speaking in hushed tones as they pointed out the trail of destruction left behind.

Mr Elijah Machera, the deceased’s nephew, recounted the moment he was summoned to identify his uncle’s body.

“I received a call from a friend who had seen the body and suspected it could be uncle. I rushed to the scene and was devastated to find it was indeed him,” he said.

He said the incident could have taken place during the night.

“He had gone out around 9pm for a smoke break. We never thought anything was amiss until the news came in the early morning hours. Judging by the state of the body, the attack must have happened overnight,” he said.

Another resident, Ms Catherine Chiwara, who lives a few streets away, said she had never set foot in the yard until yesterday.

“This is my first time standing in front of this house, and, unfortunately, it had to be under such grim circumstances,” she said.

Ms Chiwara shared her terrifying brush with danger involving the same dogs.

“Just a few weeks ago, I was nearly attacked by the same dogs. I was lucky that some people nearby came to my rescue before the animals could do any real harm,” she said.

Harare Mayor Advocate Jacob Mafume said they had ordered municipal police to shoot all stray dogs.

“We have instructed municipal police to shoot all stray dogs that are disturbing joggers, children and residents,” he said.

He added: “In some societies like the United States they have totally banned such types of dogs but in our case, we have instructed our legal team to see if we can ban these dogs and if we cannot then we will instruct the Government to act immediately and make sure that such species are banned.” Herald

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