Zimbabwe’s Rabies Plan Promises Vaccination. Its Councils Are Still Shooting Dogs

A new order in Mutare permits roaming dogs to be shot at night. It is not an isolated warning: municipal authorities elsewhere in Zimbabwe have authorised or carried out similar operations.

From 28 September 2026, dogs found roaming at night in Mutare may be shot by authorised personnel.

That is the starkest part of a new citywide confinement order issued after a dog collected in Dangamvura tested positive for rabies. During the day, roaming dogs are to be captured and taken to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). At…