STELLA T
Residents of Nkanga 1 village, Ndere Parish, Ruhinda Sub County, Rukungiri District, are living in fear over the increasing number of stray dogs in the area.
The residents say the dogs have killed sheep, cows, goats, pigs, and chickens in the area.
Ronald Musiime, LC1 of Nkanga 1 village, Ndere Parish, Ruhinda Sub County, Rukungiri District, says that the number of stray dogs increases when it rains, and that these dogs are endangering goats, sheep, and poultry, putting residents in fear.
He urges residents to work hand in hand to hunt and kill these stray dogs.
Edimond Katungi, the male area councillor for Ndere Parish, Ruhinda Sub County, Rukungiri District, decries the stray dog menace, saying that their number always increases in the area, and this is the fourth time they have invaded the community.
He asks residents to ensure that their dogs are kept within secure premises and not allowed to roam freely. Those who keep dogs without proper fencing are urged to always keep them on a leash.
Birungi Ruth, the female area councillor of Ndere Parish, Ruhinda Sub County, says they have received several complaints from residents who have lost animals to stray dogs. She herself lost eight goats and no longer rears livestock. She stressed that residents should keep an eye on their animals to prevent them from being eaten by these dogs.
She asks the district veterinary authorities to intervene by vaccinating the dogs in the area and hunting down and killing the stray ones.
Speaking to our reporter, Dr. Johnson Ninsiima, the Rukungiri District Veterinary Officer, says the office has not yet received any complaint from the affected villages. However, he revealed that they are going to carry out investigations and work with sub-county veterinary officers to see how to normalize the situation.
He added that most of the time, these dogs may not be stray, but rather dogs that are not well cared for by their owners and end up endangering other animals.
