Réponse de Mahen Seeruttun à Deven Nagalingum

Le ministre de l’Agro-industrie a répondu à la question parlementaire posée par le député de la circonscription n ° 19 concernant la collection de chiens errants à Rose-Hill.

The Honourable Second Member for Stanley and Rose Hill (Mr Nagalingum)

To ask the Honourable Minister of Agro-Industry and Food Security-

Whether, in regard to stray dogs in the region of Rose- Hill and its surroundings, he will state the measures taken to address the proliferation thereof?

Mr Speaker, Sir,

The source of the dog population problem in our country is the high number of unsterilised dogs across the island. Numerous pet owners do not sterilise their pets, and allow them to roam freely in their localities.

The unwanted puppies born from their pets are often dumped and abandoned, thus adding up to the population of stray and free-roaming dogs in Mauritius.

In order to tackle the free-roaming dog population, the Mauritius Society for Animal Welfare (MSAW) has implemented the “Sustainable Project for the Dog Population Control in Mauritius” since June 2022 whereby free mass sterilisation of dogs is carried out across the island.

Funds to the tune of thirty million rupees have been earmarked under the National Environment and Climate Change Fund for implementation of the above project.

Mr Speaker, Sir,

I am informed that the MSAW has at date sterilised ten thousand, four hundred and eighty dogs. I am also informed that the MSAW organised thirty-eight sterilisation campaigns of dogs in the area of Beau-Bassin/Rose-Hill wherein six hundred and nine owned dogs have been sterilised.

Moreover, the MSAW has carried out a total of seventy-four catch-neuter-release interventions in the area.

Mr Speaker, Sir,

I am also informed that the MSAW in collaboration with the Municipal Council of Beau Bassin- Rose Hill will hold a major mass sterilisation campaign in the month of April 2024.

The activities will comprise free registration, free sterilisation and adoption of dogs. The target of this campaign is to sterilise around two-hundred owned dogs during the event.

The Honourable Member will also appreciate that numerous interventions are done in the region by the MSAW whereby cases pertaining to aggressive dogs are handled to ensure the safety of the public and injured dogs are also rescued. Furthermore, following a complaint made by the Hon Mrs Jeewa-Daureeawoo with regard to the presence of stray dogs in the yard of Stanley Municipal Centre and Pre-Primary School, two interventions were carried out by the MSAW.

Mr Speaker, Sir,

I would therefore like to make an appeal to the residents of the locality of Rose-Hill and its surroundings to take advantage of this campaign and have their dogs sterilised freely.

On a final note, I would like to again bring to the attention of my colleagues and public at large that the sterilisation of dogs is sine qua non for a controlled dog population in our country.