Erbil to build a shelter for stray dogs 

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Local authorities in the Kurdistan Region capital Erbil convened on Monday to discuss a plan for building a shelter outside the city for its growing population of stray dogs.

Erbil Governor Omed Khoshnaw chaired a meeting with representatives of veterinary departments and other relevant authorities, according to a statement from the governorate.

They discussed the health risks that the rising number of these dogs pose to the public, according to a statement.

“They are a source of spreading infectious diseases,” the governorate said.

Erbil already has a dog shelter. However, it only has a limited capacity to deal with the large number of stray dogs in the city. 

Khoshnaw proposed building “a shelter” in a large area outside the Kurdish capital, the statement added. The governor authorized the authorities to allocate a piece of land for this purpose.

Residents of the city requested the removal of these dogs from residential areas as they had created an “unhealthy and uncivilized phenomenon”, the statement noted.

In recent years, the Kurdistan Region has witnessed a surge in environmental groups that spread awareness on animal rights and provide shelter and food for dogs on the street.