Osun State Police Command has ordered dog owners to lock up their pets to avert attack against people.
The force maintained that dog owners who flout its directive would face the wrath of the law.
Reacting in a press release by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Yemisi Opalola, the Command stated that there have been multiple cases of dog attacks on people in recent times.
The command thereby admonished residents, rearing dogs to confine their pets to their cages or put them on leashes.
The police further noted that dog owners must adhere to the directive in order to reduce attacks on people.
It also charged dog owners on frequent Vaccination of their pets so as to reduce the risk of contracting rabies virus, in the instance that the pets bite people.
The statement reads in part, “The police command is using this medium to draw the attention of members of the public especially those rearing or breeding dogs especially exotic ones for guard/security purposes or otherwise to the increasing recent attacks on people by their dogs.
“To this end, the police command enjoins members of the public to restrain their dogs in their houses in cages/leashes with a view to reducing attacks on people and further vaccinate these dogs in order to reduce the risk of contracting rabies virus which can be deadly if these dogs happen to bite individual(s).
“The Commissioner of Police, CP Mohammed Abba, therefore advises members of the public to be abreast of the Dog Acts Cap 35 Law of the Federation of Nigeria. A dog keeper: somebody who is in charge of a dog is supposed to ensure that every dog to be handled is vaccinated, duly controlled, and should not be set loose to bite passersby. Anything outside your yard (fence) is not your house, i.e., if any dog gets loose and bites anybody outside the compound, this is an offence.
“The CP further assures the good people of Osun State of his commitment to improve the status quo as one of the peaceful states in the country.”
