Kurdistan Animal Advocates Rally Against Stray Dog Killings, Call for Humane Solutions
Protesters Demand End to Culling in Kirkuk and Duhok, Advocate for Ethical Management Practices,
Jan. 23, 2025
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Animal welfare advocates in the Kurdistan Region demand an immediate halt to the killing of stray dogs in Kirkuk and Duhok provinces, asserting that such actions are not a viable solution to the problem.
On Thursday, multiple animal rights organizations gathered in front of the United Nations headquarters in Erbil, Kurdistan Region, to protest against the killing of stray dogs. They demanded an immediate cessation and called for more humane and alternative solutions to address the issue.
“We strongly oppose the killing of stray dogs. Recently, in Kirkuk, stray dogs were shot, while in Duhok, a fatwa was issued permitting their killing,” one of the protestors, told Kurdistan 24.
He further explained, that killing animals is neither a solution nor a sustainable approach. “Scientific methods and alternative measures can be implemented to resolve the issue. We urge the relevant authorities to refrain from such actions and adopt humane strategies instead,” he added.
The protests come in the wake of multiple incidents in Kirkuk, where authorities killed a significant number of stray dogs following a fatal attack on a young girl by a stray dog.
In Duhok, a fatwa was issued permitting the culling of stray dogs, further fueling public outrage among animal rights advocates.
The demonstrators urged authorities to consider scientific and ethical methods for managing the stray dog population, emphasizing that killing only exacerbates the problem and fails to address its root causes.