No dog baths in Chikwawa

Dog owners in Chikwawa District say they are worried with the unavailability of dip tanks in the district, saying the situation is negatively affecting the welfare of dogs.

In an interview on Friday, Joshua Mtola, who owns three dogs, blamed the situation on negligence on the part of the district council.

“I have three dogs and now it has been almost two years since they had a bath. The tanks are not operational and the officials are telling us to buy the dip which is expensive.”

“One litre of the chemical alone costs about K15 000. The challenge is that my dogs can easily get ticks and fleas,” he said.

In response, district animal health and livestock development officer Phillip Begi said that there was lack of responsibility by owners of dogs and other pets in the district.

“When we tell people to bring their dogs they do not come in large numbers and in most cases it becomes a loss on our part. The chemical is expensive and we used to charge K50 only per dog,” he said.

He expressed concern over people’s negligence in caring for their dogs, saying many pets are left wandering in surrounding communities and trading centres.

Statistics show that, currently, Chikwawa has 30 000 dogs. n