Raparin, Erbil take action to address stray dogs
Saadi Tayeb, the veterinary director of the Raparin Independent Administration, emphasized the necessity of health care for animals in shelters and suggested that excess household food should be collected and provided to shelter dogs.
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) - In the past six months, 231 cases of attacks by stray dogs have been registered in Raperin, highlighting the urgent need for effective measures.
Saadi Tayeb, the veterinary director of the Raparin Independent Administration, emphasized the necessity of health care for animals in shelters and suggested that excess household food should be collected and provided to shelter dogs.
On Friday, July 19, 2024, Tayeb told Kurdistan 24 that most stray dogs carry diseases. He proposed that the best solution for controlling stray dogs and ensuring citizen safety is to build shelters in all cities and towns in the Kurdistan Region.
Tayeb suggested that the government could tackle the stray dog issue through collaboration with relevant parties, encouraging citizen participation, and creating job opportunities. He also recommended controlling stray dogs using injection weapons, after which the animals could be captured and transported to shelters.
Nabaz Abdulhamid, Mayor of Erbil Central District, echoed these concerns on Wednesday, November 1, 2023, emphasizing the need to control and reduce the negative impact of stray dogs in Erbil.
Read More: Erbil rounds up 1,600 stray dogs for mass vaccination
He pointed out that the presence of stray dogs had led to numerous incidents, causing deaths and injuries, particularly among children and the elderly.
To address this, Abdulhamid announced the construction of a shelter outside Erbil province. He requested a budget allocation of 450 million dinars from the Presidency of the Council of Ministers for this project.
Read More: Erbil Province launches a campaign to control stray dog population
Following the allocation of a piece of land on the road between Erbil and Goer for the shelter, the Council of Ministers agreed to provide more than the requested amount, ensuring the shelter's completion within two months.
Read More: Stray dog population decreases in Erbil due to shelter construction
The shelter, now managed by the Directorate of Environmental Protection and Services of the Erbil Municipality, has successfully collected 1,600 stray dogs. Efforts continue to move stray dogs into the shelter, improving safety and addressing the stray dog crisis in the region.
