The grace period is over for owners who have allowed their animals to roam freely without consequence, with the Ministry of Agriculture now moving to impound stray cattle, horses, donkeys and other farm animals.
Owners had been given 10 days’ advance notice to secure their animals, with that period ending on November 8.
Agriculture Minister Lisa Jawahir said at Monday’s pre-Cabinet press briefing that the Ministry would begin enforcement this week.
“We’ve been having this conversation for months, and we cannot talk any longer,” she said.
The warning follows repeated complaints about stray livestock, including cattle in the Choc area that have been involved in collisions along the four-lane highway.
Jawahir said the Ministry had already given livestock owners time to secure their animals and had even assisted some farmers with relocating cattle earlier in the year.
But she said the situation had now reached a point where public safety had to take priority.
“We don’t want any disaster. We don’t want anybody to lose their life, not a family member of mine, not a family member of yours,” Jawahir said.
Any animals found straying along highways or in areas where they should not be will now be removed by the Ministry with support from law enforcement.
Owners who want their animals back will have to show that they have somewhere suitable to keep them and are able to properly care for them.
“If you’re not in a position to show the Government where you can store your animals or how you can take care of them, you will not get them back,” Jawahir said.
She added that the law allows for animals to be auctioned or otherwise disposed of if the proper conditions are not met.
Jawahir said the move is not about punishing farmers, but about dealing with a problem that has become too dangerous to ignore.
“We are not in the business of trying to fight farmers, but we have come to a place where this is a security crisis, and the government has to take the necessary action.”
Under the Animals Act, livestock owners are responsible for securing and maintaining proper control of their animals at all times.
