Public Notice: Preventing dogs attacking refuse workers
George Municipality urges dog owners to please keep their dogs out of direct contact with our refuse workers and cleansing officials with property gates closed or keep them on leashes. Recently a number of incidents have led to our officials being attacked by dogs while doing their duties. A dog’s instinct is to protect its home and family and coupling this instinct with a noisy refuse truck and several individuals in its territory, even a friendly dog could bite.
A request is made to all dog owners to take responsibility for their pets on the days that the refuse is being collected. Keep dogs indoors, behind a fence, or on a leash for the safety of the refuse workers and other members of the public.
According to Richard von Willingh, Manager: Law Enforcement, pedestrians and other dogs are also being regularly attacked by dogs who are allowed onto streets without proper supervision and being on a leash, or the property is poorly fenced off or the animals somehow finds an escape route to the public areas.
A portion of the Bylaw Prevention Public Nuisances and Nuisance from Keeping Animals states:
- Control of dogs (1) No person who owns or keeps a dog may – (a) permit a bitch on heat to be in a street or public place without supervision; (b) urge a dog to attack, worry or frighten any person or animal unless in self-defense; (c) keep a dog if the premises is not adequately fenced to keep such dog inside when it is not on a leash; or (d) permit a dog – (i) to trespass on private property; (ii) to constitute a hazard to traffic using any public road; (iii) to constitute source of danger or injury to a person outside the premises on which such dog is kept; or (iv) to be a source of danger to employees of the municipality entering such premises for the purpose of carrying out their duties. A notice to the effect that a dog is kept must be displayed in a conspicuous place. (e) keep any dog which interferes materially with the comfort, convenience, peace, or quiet of neighbours by– (i) barking, yelping, howling or whining; (ii) charging any vehicles, animals, poultry, pigeons or persons outside any premises where it is kept; or (iii) by behaving in any other manner. (2) The municipality may seize and impound a dog which is found in a street or public place in contravention of the provisions of this by-law. (3) A dog impounded in terms of subsection (2) may be released to the owner upon payment of a fee determined by the municipality. (4) A person who contravenes a provision of subsection (1) commits an offense.
A fine of R1000 is applicable if people do not adhere to the regulations set out in the bylaw.
For the full bylaw click on the link:
For any further information or complaints please contact the Law Enforcement office on 044 801 6350 (7.45am-4.30pm) or 044 801 6300 (a/h)(standby team for bylaw-related emergencies only).
The public can also email sprins@george.gov.za with complaints or related matters.
The physical address of the Law Enforcement Office is 25B Cathedral Street.
The Garden Route SPCA, George telephone number is 044 878 1990.
