03 Jul 2019

The BCSD consulting company has developed reflective collars which will be worn by domestic animals to ensure visibility at night.

According to the company’s Director, Mr Ben Sassman said that they came up with the initiative after realising that stray animals contributed to most road accidents especially at night.

“As a traveller, I found out that there were a lot of stray animals along the roads, that was when the idea of reflective collars came to my mind,”he said.

Even though it was a temporary solution, he said that it might arrest the situation and ensure a reduction in collisions on the road.

“The reflective surface is 360 degrees around the collar, making it visible at night from any angle, and they are available in three colours which are green, red and orange, however the main reflective surface is constant, clear and visible from a distance, said Mr Sassman.

He also revealed that the collar was adjustable to fit any animal, from a dog to a donkey, horse and a cow.

Mr Sassman further acknowledged that managing stray livestock on the national and regional road was not an easy  exercise but expressed  hope that with the rollout of the reflective collars, road collisions caused by stray livestock would be reduced especially if government and the private sector got involved in the rollout of the project.

Currently, Mr Sassman said  the reflective collars project had been piloted on Mochudi and Jwaneng roads and had proved effective.

He said he is yet to meet with decision makers around the country to ensure that the initiative reached farmers across the country. Ends