I attended a workshop today on the newly announched by-laws that have been published in the provincial gazette,14Nov 2008.
It is the West Rand District Municipality: Street and Miscellaneous By-Laws.
In terms of section 13 of the Local goverment Municipal systems act,2000 the by-laws have been passed and ..........Bla bla bla...and it basicly set out the laws within the Westrand.
The following was however very interesting......
Point 27 states the following.......
"Dangerous animals,reptiles and insects"
1- No person shall without a permit issued by the HOD keep any wild or dangerous animal, reptile or insect which has an inherent propensity to attack human or the keeping of which is likely to become a nuisance or a threat to public health or is in fraught with risk to any person.
2-Any animal, reptile or insect the keeping of which is prohibited in terms of subsection1 may, if found at large outside of the confines of the property of the owner, be destroyed by any police officer or authorized official of the municipality.
...bla bla ...The fine is R2000 if found guilty....admt guilt for R500.
I would say these type of by-laws will be a common occurance in future in most of the municipalities with serious effects. They will appoint animal cops/ inspectors that will inforce these laws.
On my question in the meeting..why reptiles/insects?, as I understand the issue about dogs, cats and other domestic animals, they replied it was because of the uprise in keeping reptiles and insects and a specific case was mentioned about a guy in Randfontein that played with a Python outside and whiles under the influence of alcolhol chased people walking by with the snake and therefore he was arrested by the police. The other case was a complaint in Krugersdorp about a petshop owner that kept snakes at his home and there was a few escapes and his neighbour, Dr X laid a official complaint about it with Natcon and the enviormental dept of the council.
I would like to hear your views on this...