With a number of dog attacks being reported in recent months, the Germiston City News has contacted the metro to get a better understanding of the public by-laws which govern the keeping of animals.
A selection of the by-laws found in the metro’s Public Health By-laws (Chapter 14) include the following:
- General provisions relating to the keeping of animals:
- No person may, subject to the provision of section 121, keep or allow to be
kept, any animal other than an approved pet on an erf in a proclaimed
township, provided the keeping of such pet does not create or constitute a
nuisance
- Keeping of pets and the duties of keepers of pets
- Any person who keeps pets must:
(a) maintain the premises in a clean and sanitary condition at all times;
(b) clean all manure and food scraps from any premises at adequate intervals;
(c) prevent the soil beneath or around any premises from becoming saturated with
urine or polluted by any other matter or liquid.
A selection of the by-laws found in the metro’s SAPS by-laws (Section 27 and 28):
- Control of animals
No person shall drive or cause any animal to be driven in a street except when drawing a carriage or vehicle:
- Provided that the council may grant permission to the driving of animals in certain streets on such conditions as it may deem fit.
- No person shall in, or along any street:
- Allow an animal, which is his property or under his control, to be let loose or to wander uncontrolled.
- Leave an animal which is hurt, weak, sick or dying, except to obtain assistance to remove such animal.
- By making noises, gestures, and gesticulations or in any other way frighten or irritate an animal.
See below for the full copy of each of the by-laws quoted.
