A HARARE man has filed a US$10 000 law suit against his neighbour after her dog mauled him and also killed his cat.
The applicant, Ronias Mutaki, said he wants the money to recover the costs he incurred seeking his treatment and that of his cat before it succumbed to the injuries.
Mutaki filed the application against Daisy Mushavi at the Harare Civil Court. The application is still pending.
Mutaki said Mushavi owned an unvaccinated dog as her pet at her Strathaven home in Harare.
It is alleged that sometime in May 2021, Mutaki together with his cat, was attacked by Mushavi’s “vicious and unvaccinated dog”.
In his submissions, Mutaki said he sustained serious injuries.
Mutaki said he incurred medical expenses to the sum of US$500 after the dog attack.
He also claimed to have suffered damages to his valuables that include spectacles valued US$110, formal suit worth US$150, Rolex Wrist watch (US$300) and gold teeth costing US$600.
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Mutaki said he suffered losses while seeking treatment for his cat at the Department of Veterinary Services before it died.
Mutaki also submitted that he suffered serious physical and emotional pain and suffering.
“Physically, he sustained serious injuries and some took time to heal and to date, I am still having phases of pain,” his lawyers submitted.
According to Mutaki, Mushavi has failed to respond to a letter of demand dated August 30 last year.
He said he is demanding US$10 000 for injuries and losses incurred seeking treatment, saying US$1 711 was the costs incurred in restoring and replacing his damaged property.
The matter is still pending.
Over 500 dog bite cases were reported in Zimbabwe last year, with most bites being from dogs of unknown status.
According to a report released in December last year by the Health and Child Care ministry, Manicaland province with 83 bites had the highest followed by Mashonaland East with 75.
“Of these cases, 129 (23,6%) were bitten by vaccinated dogs, 125 (23%) by unvaccinated dogs and 292 (53,4%) by dogs of unknown status,” the report read.
In March last year, a 68-year-old security guard was found dead with multiple injuries after he was mauled by four pit bull dogs at a business premise in Harare.
A month later last year, a nine-year-old girl died on admission at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals after she was attacked by a pit bull dog in the capital.
Also last year, a Harare man sued a brick manufacturing company of more than US$15 000 in damages after he sustained severe injuries when he was brutally mauled by some vicious dogs owned by the enterprise.
