I have, in the last two days, heard everywhere that there is a shocking new law in South Africa regarding animal safety. After searching high and low through online newspaper archives and talk radio logs, I can't find much mention of it. Please, if you know anything about this, email us and tell us!! The only article I have found is posted after this account.
The 'new' law is as follows: BARKING DOGS
If a neighbour of yours complains to the police about your barking dog, the police will come and give you a warning.
If there is a second complaint, your dog will be TAKEN AWAY from you, and the police have the right to have it put down.
This is the most inhumane, revolting and awful law that I have ever heard of. Is it real? Can a neighbour really cause the death of your beloved pet? I have received emails telling me that there are institutions and processes in place to prevent you from being the victim of a nasty neighbour, but I am unconvinced.
When it is animal safety at stake, I am no quiet voice. Is there anyone out there who can comment on this? I have a sausage dog and he yaps all the time! Our neighbours once sent us a nasty letter telling us that we must be abusing the small dog and they are going to report us to the SPCA. Worried and scared, we phoned the SPCA and they just laughed - 'dogs bark!' they said. What if these neighbours call the police?
There must be something in place to ensure animal safety - do the complaints need to be from different neighbours? What if everyone else in your neighbourhood doesn't mind your barking dog? Please leave your comments and email me any information.
Here is one mention of the new law, found at http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?art_id=vn20070919073103643C678671
Don't get me wrong. Incessant dog-barking would drive me right up the garden wall were it not for the five strands of electrified wire on top.And it's usually my own dog, imagining there's a burglar on the other side of it, that provokes me into conducting an exasperated conversation with a canine.Often Stan himself doesn't truly believe he's warding off burglars. While I am working he tends to signal his general boredom with life by going out on the front lawn, if we let him, and barking at the sky."For heaven's sake, Stan," I shout, rushing out, "give me a break. Stoppit, come inside, for crying out loud."He's always pleased to get this sort of attention, and wags his tail.At least we don't let him stand at the front gate, like the neighbourhood dogs are allowed to do.
While walking Stan and Kali round a single block we pass two Staffies, two black Labradors, two Jack Russells, a German shepherd, a Rottweiler and two very stupid boxers, one of which immediately throws himself up and around in anti-clockwise circles.All of them express their noisy annoyance at our daring to walk past their gates with our own dogs.Amid the uproar I remark to my wife: "I'm glad we don't live round here." Then she reminds me we do.But I would never want them to be seized and impounded, merely because they were doing their doggy best to protect their owners' properties.Yet that is what could happen under the new by-laws being considered by the City of Cape Town.
They would enable people to spy on their neighbours and report to dog police, who can then pounce on offending pets.The maximum penalty will be a fine of R20 000 (for the owner) and death (for the dog). At this stage no executions are planned for the owners, as well, which comes as a relief.
If it is a disappointment to some, they should realise that even Beijing, whose clothes we now all wear and on whom we increasingly model ourselves, hasn't got to this stage. That city has also passed new laws to control dogs, and stipulates that no household may have more than one, like babies, whereas Cape Town will still allow us two.Some Beijing admirer in City Hall is behind the times.In addition, Beijing has ruled that dogs may be no taller than 35 centimetres. This is something that Cape Town hasn't thought of, either, which is good news for all local pooches above ankle height.
Nor has the city yet urged neighbours to inform on each other, though no doubt this will happen in due course.If barking dogs are banned, can crying babies be far behind?It will help to take our minds off crime. Dogs are much easier to nail than drug dealers, and no one's going to arrest you for knocking on a dog-owner's door.We might even end up eating our dogs, which is one way to stop them barking.As the Beijing gourmets say, you can't have your dog and eat it.johnvscott@mweb.co.za
