Khaberni - In a decisive governmental move to end the crisis, Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, the Egyptian Prime Minister, announced a comprehensive national strategy to deal with the phenomenon of "stray animals".
The plan focuses on relocating stray dogs away from populated areas, an unprecedented expansion in vaccination and sterilization operations, to ensure a balance between citizen safety and animal welfare rules.
During a comprehensive meeting chaired by Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, the Prime Minister, attended by the Ministers of Local Development and Agriculture and officials from the General Veterinary Services Authority, Madbouly approved the expansion of establishing specialized shelters located geographically away from residential blocks in the provinces.
The plan covers all provinces
Dr. Hamed Moussa, the head of the General Veterinary Services Authority, revealed the details of the plan which includes identifying proposed sites in 27 provinces, with actual allocation of lands starting in Cairo, Giza, Qalyubiya, and Alexandria.
The plan also included preparing "model cars" specifically equipped for the emergency transportation of dogs, keeping in line with international animal welfare standards.
The annual report for the year 2025 according to a statement by the Cabinet reported the vaccination of 121,000 dogs against rabies, and the sterilization of 8311 dogs to prevent uncontrolled breeding.
Ayman Abdel Mojud, the permanent agent of the Ministry of Solidarity, confirmed that there is high-level coordination with NGOs to provide medical support in sterilization operations and contribute to the care of animals within the new shelters, to ensure the sustainability of the project and not impose additional burdens on the state budget.
Hundreds of thousands of bite cases
This intensive governmental movement comes after years of widespread debate and escalating complaints about the prevalence of stray dogs in the streets.
The Ministry of Health recorded hundreds of thousands of cases of dog bites annually, which cost the state millions of pounds to provide "rabies vaccines".
In the recent weeks, mass attacks by dogs on children and the elderly occurred in both upscale residential gatherings and popular neighborhoods alike, creating significant public pressure for legislative and executive intervention.
The Egyptian parliament enacted a law regulating the ownership of animals to impose strict controls on acquiring "ferocious" dogs and regulating the handling of ferocious animals.
