Stray dog in Nairobi. Photo/ Courtesy.
Nairobi City County has drafted a bill seeking to ensure all animals kept in the city are licensed and their welfare ensured In a bid to control stray animals in the city.
According to the bill to the measures seeks to control transmission of infectious diseases from animals to humans and to reduce environmental problems posed by unrestricted animal movements as well as unnecessary disturbances or harm to the public.
The animals that the drafted bill seeks to control includes cats, cows, sheep, goats, pigs, horses, donkeys, and mules.
Controlling cats
The bill requires that the owners of a cat(s) must apply for a license at Sh200 annually and all cats over three months shall be vaccinated against rabies by veterinary surgeon and issued with a certificate.
Also the Bill provides that the owner of the cats is required to acquire kennel license to keep the cats.
“A person, being the owner or occupier of a parcel, shall not use the parcel as a kennel for breeding of cats unless breeding kennel license has been issued upon application and registered as a breeder in accordance with Veterinary Surgeons and Veterinary Paraprofessionals Act,” the bill reads in part.
It also provides that a person will not be issued with a kennel license without inspection by animal control officer to ascertain good animal welfare and ability to maintain sanitary state and keeping the cats from escaping.
A kennel license fee is capped at Sh5,000 which is subject to change with regards to finance bill.
Additionally to the person is not allowed to keep more than four cats unless the owner is breeding purebred cats and that the owner should ensure the cats doesn’t scream or cry in a manner that will disturb other people.
Controlling herbivores
The bill proposes that owners of herbivores including cows, goats and sheep are required to keep them in designated areas like agricultural zones or stock zone.
According to the bill, a person keeping animals in non-designated zones like roads or railways shall be deemed guilty.
“A person who keeps stock in the central business district of the City (county) or on any road and railway reserve or in areas not designated as agricultural zone or stock zone shall be guilty of an offense and liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding Sh10,000 or imprisonment for term not exceeding one month,” the bill reads.
Similar to cats, keeping cows requires one to acquire a license for a cowshed and inspection by the veterinary officer to ascertain that there adequate space to ensure comfort of animals.
For sheep and goats keepers, the bill requires that they can keep goats and sheep in registered and certified pen.
The pen is also subject to inspection by animal control officer who’s registered and certified by Head of County Veterinary Services.
The farmer is required to pay Sh500 to own a pen and renewed annually.
Just like cowsheds, pens should be well ventilated and comfortable for animals and build in a way that it prevents transmission of diseases and parasites.
The keepers of herbivores are required to be cognizant of the animal’s genetic, adaptability to local diseases and parasites, and grouping animals appropriately to avoid injury or distress as well as access to sufficient feeds and water.
Additionally, herbivores owners should prevent and control diseases and parasites.
To keep pigs, one is must have a licensed pig-proof building by applying for it at a fee set out in the Finance Act. The pig-proof building will be subjected to inspection as well.
Poultry keepers shall have to abide by the draft’s regulation if it will be adopted by City County. The bill stipulated that anyone desiring to keep poultry should get registered, followed by inspection to ascertain that the poultry premises have adequate lighting, air quality, flooring, bedding, resting surfaces and litter of good quality.
It should also be out of reach of rodents and birds, and separate from human housing by at least two meters.
Acquisition of the license will be subjected to approval by Head of County Veterinary Services and payment of Sh100 fee.
Keeping Mules, horses and donkey
City residents owning or planning to own a donkey, horse or a mule must possess proper premises for the animals as well as getting registration and certification.
This bills demands that the premises must protect the animals from bad weather, predators and injury in addition to general cleanliness and adequate feeding and water.
For city residents desiring to keep donkey or horses for commercial purposes like transport, registration is also required.
“A person desiring to keep or use a horse or donkey for commercial purposes either in transport or entertainment in the City may apply to the nearest animal control officer for registration, who, upon inspection of the premises for animal may make recommendation for registration …… and issuing registration certificate upon payment of a fee of Sh200,” reads the bill.
The draft also stipulates the horses or donkeys should be used for a maximum of six hours per day, have at least one or two resting days in a week and if they’re displaying ill-health signs should not be used.
Other animals
City residents are not allowed to possess or keep farmed game including ostriches, geese or pigeons unless having authority from Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) to do so.
The bill also outline requirements for keeping fish in the City County including being cognizant of the fish’s welfare and ensuring fish handlers have practical knowledge on the same.
Enforcing the bill
If the bill is adopted by county government of Nairobi, the county officials will penalize those infringing the provisions of the bill’s which includes cancellation of license and impounding of animals.
Impounded animals can be reclaimed by the owner after proving ownership and paying any license, impoundment penalty or other related fees as set out by the finance Act.
Failure to reclaim the animal result in disposal of the animal through adoption by another person capable of taking good care of the animal.
Justification of the bill
The bill argues that while the animals benefit humans in many ways, failure to control the movement of the animals may precipitate harm to city dwellers including transmission of diseases to people especially due to proximity of animals to humans in a crowded place like Nairobi thus necessitating a policy measure.
“In uncontrolled animal keeping, the chances of physical and environmental harm would be markedly increased and animal-human crowding in such a situation would facilitate the spread of such diseases as bovine tuberculosis, Influenza A (affecting humans, birds, pigs and horses), plague, dog and cat rabies, Newcastle Disease, pox, brucellosis, salmonellosis, Verocytotoxic Escherichia coli as well as scores of parasites and vectors common to humans and animals,” the bill reads.
