The Tema District Community Centre Court has fined Essien Terry, a dog keeper Gh₵5,000 for rearing dogs for commercial purposes in a residential area without a permit from the Tema Metropolitan Assembly.

The court presided over by Mr. Festus Fovi Nukunu, slapped the fine on Terry on his plea of guilty to three counts: unauthorized keeping of dogs in dwelling house, keeping of animals on-premises, and non-compliance with an abatement notice.

The court also gave Terry one month to relocate the dogs from the residential area, after pleading with the court, and was to report back on June 22.

Prosecutor Saudatu Issaka, the Environmental Health Analyst said Terry was a resident of Tema Community.

According to the prosecution, sometime in February this year, a complaint was made to the Environmental Health Office by some residents in the community about the rearing of dogs and cats on a large scale by the accused.

The residents claimed that it was causing nuisance such as offensive odour and noise among others.

The prosecution told the court that on February 18, 2022, a team of Environmental Health officers inspected the place and found that the accused had a big cage housing about 10 dogs and cats believed to be on commercial basis.

The accused was given a brief education and a notice was served to him to remove them from the house to a more convenient place, but he failed and was subsequently charged to appear and answer before the court.

GNA