The Police Command in Osun on Sunday in Osogbo warned dog owners to cage their pets or risk arrest.

SP Yemisi Opalola, spokesperson for the command, said that the warning became necessary following increasing rate of dog attacks on people in the state.

She said in a statement that allowing dogs to roam unrestrained is a violation of the Dog Act Cap 35 Law of the Federation of Nigeria.

The police spokesman explained that it is an offence "if any dog gets loose and bites anybody outside the compound".

She said according to the law, dogs should be vaccinated, duly controlled and not be set loose to bite passer-by.

"The command is using this medium to draw the attention of members of the public especially those rearing or breeding dogs especially exotic ones for guard/security purposes or otherwise to the increasingly recent attacks on people by dogs.

"To this end, the Police Command enjoins members of the public to restrain their dogs in their houses in cages/leashes with a view to reducing attacks on people.

"They should further vaccinate these dogs in order to reduce the risk of contracting Rabies which can be deadly if these dogs happen to bite individuals," Opalola added.

She said that the commissioner of Police in Osun, Mohammed Abba, also advised members of the public to be abreast of the Dog Act to avoid contravention of the law,