The Sunday News
Rutendo Nyeve, Sunday News Correspondent
ANIMAL protection stakeholders have called for the enforcement of by-laws that prohibit the keeping of domestic animals in the city amid an influx of animals like donkeys that have been causing accidents, destruction of gardens and are exposed to stocktheft.
Speaking during a donkey welfare stakeholder meeting last week at Robert Sinyoka in the outskirts of Bulawayo, Matabeleland Animal Rescue and Equine Sanctuary (MARES) director Claire Einhorn said the influx of donkey drawn carts into the city not only subjected the donkeys to cruelty but also influenced stock theft of the species.
“Upon investigation, we have found that most donkeys brought to the city would have been stolen from villages around the city. This is evidenced by fresh cut wounds on the ears of donkeys we rescue, indicating that the poachers have cut the donkey tag marks. This also presents a problem of stock theft. After selling their wares the poachers leave the donkeys at night unattended, and without giving them any food or water to drink,” said Einhorn.
She further explained how these donkeys suffer at the hands of people in the urban areas.
“Because the donkeys are hungry, they then move around the residential areas looking for food and water to drink.
Many of the donkeys end up foraging in people’s gardens thus destroying the residents’ crops and vegetables.
Moreover, many of the gardens and houses in the residential areas are not fenced meaning that donkeys can move through easily.
“Many people earn a living through growing and selling crops and vegetables and many gardens have been planted near boreholes where people grow vegetables. Some of the gardens are also not fenced. This encroaching of residents’ boundaries by donkeys is in itself the beginning of the human-donkey conflict. This is worsened by donkeys eating the residents’ vegetables which are usually a source of income and livelihood,” said Einhorn.
In retaliation, many people, out of anger, revert to inhumane practices such as axing, throwing boiling water and even setting dogs on the donkeys resulting in serious injuries and sometimes death.
Bulawayo City Council lands inspectorate department said while council rangers continue to enforce by-laws, donkeys remain a threat to the lives of residents in Bulawayo as they could cause road accidents among other destructions.
“We encourage you to brand your animals in order to curb stocktheft. We also encourage you not to bring domestic animals into the urban areas as this is against the law. Let’s make sure our cattle graze towards the east and not the west. Some of the villagers are lured by the green pastures in sewer areas and bring their domestic animals there. We will impound those,” the lands inspectorate department.
Pumula police station anti-stock theft team called for inclusive efforts to combat stock theft and sand poaching.
Local villager at Robert Sinyoka who is also the chairperson of the Business Against Anti Stock theft Forum, Mr Mandlenkosi Gumunyu called on villagers to safeguard their domestic animals.
“Let’s look after our domestic animals and make sure they are at the right place at the right time. Our forum will continue to fight stock theft crime and we encourage villagers to help us through looking after their domestic animals,” said Mr Gumunyu.
The stakeholders meeting was part of Matabeleland Animal Rescue and Equine Sanctuary outreach programs which seeks to raise awareness on proper donkey welfare and educate owners about proper donkey care. @nyeve14
