Delta State Pets control and responsible ownership Bill, 2024 has scaled through second reading on the floor of the State Assembly.
The house also received the report of the joint committee on Health, Agriculture and Natural Resources on the Delta State Registration of Private Veterinary Clinics Amendment Bill, 2024 at Tuesday’s Plenary presided over by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Emomotimi Guwor.
Leading debate by the Majority Leader Hon. Engr. Emeka Nwaobi on the Delta State Pets control and responsible ownership Bill, 2024, Hon. Nwaobi said that the population of Pets, particularly dogs in Delta State is estimated to be over 600,000 which is above the population of humans in some countries.
Hon. Nwaobi in his debate stressed that the bill when enacted will enable pet owners to be licensed, control all forms of zoonotic diseases such as rabies as well as prohibits the selling of pets on the streets.
While calling on Lawmakers to support the bill, the Majority Leader also asserted that the proposed bill when passed will enable the State government increase its IGR as defaulters of the law would be prosecuted and penalized.
Other Lawmakers who spoke in favour of the bill, including Hon. James Augoye, Marilyn Okowa-Daramola, Oboro Preyor, Ferguson Onwo, Augustine Uroye and Emmanuel Sinebe harped on the need for the bill to be enacted into law, saying the proposed bill seeks amongst other things to regulate the activities of Pet Owners as well as control diseases from pets.
The bill enjoined unanimous support from from Lawmakers in voice vote as the Speaker, Right Honourable Emomotimi Guwor thereafter referred the bill to joint committees on Agriculture and Natural Resources, Health and Environment.
The house adjourned plenary to Wednesday, 3 July 2024
