An Egyptian court on Sunday, 14 September, sentenced a woman to six months in prison and fined her EGP 10,000 (USD 207) after finding her guilty of poisoning multiple dogs inside a private compound in 6th of October City.
The case began after residents filed police reports along with videos that circulated social media showing dead and injured dogs in May 2025. One resident, Mohamed Adel, was hospitalized after coming into contact with the poison, which doctors later confirmed to be an internationally banned substance.
Adel told local news outlet Al Manassa that the dogs had recently been vaccinated as part of Egypt’s national rabies eradication strategy, and that residents had worked with animal welfare groups to neuter and protect them. He added that his own health was affected when he accidentally touched food scraps laced with poison.
The incident involved the use of strychnine, a highly toxic poison that is banned in many countries and subject to international trade restrictions due to its danger to humans and animals.
Egypt’s Penal Code criminalizes acts of cruelty against animals. Article 357 sets penalties of up to six months in prison or a fine for killing or harming domesticated animals without justification. Courts, however, have the discretion to impose both penalties in cases deemed severe, depending on the circumstances and available evidence.
In 2014, animal welfare was also formally recognized in Egypt’s Constitution under Article 45, which obliges the state to prevent cruelty to animals and protect livestock, fisheries, and endangered species.
Animal rights groups say the case underscores the urgent need for stronger enforcement of animal welfare laws. “This is not only about animal cruelty, but also about public safety,” said Omar Samy from Refq Animal Rescue, who assisted in documenting the case.
In recent years, incidents of animal cruelty in Egypt have sparked growing public concern, with videos of abuse frequently going viral and prompting authorities to intervene.
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