Egypt’s House of Representatives member, Irene Said, demanded on 27 October that the government explain how it is spending public money on stray dogs, saying residents’ complaints have continued despite a national campaign meant to bring the problem under control.
Said filed a formal request for a briefing, a parliamentary tool for questioning the executive branch, addressed to the prime minister and the ministers of agriculture, local development and environment, and health. The lawmaker said citizens were reporting growing numbers of strays in streets, squares and residential areas, with packs gathering near schools, hospitals and other public facilities.
Said said the dogs had been linked to bites and attacks, posing risks to public safety and health and imposing costs on the state for treating victims and preventing rabies.
The government has announced a national plan that includes nationwide sterilization and vaccination drives. But Said questioned whether the effort was working, asking whether the money and personnel assigned to it were sufficient and how actual progress compared with stated targets.
She pointed to testimony in June before the House Agriculture Committee, in which the head of the General Authority for Veterinary Services estimated that handling about three million dogs would cost roughly EGP 2.15 billion (USD 38.3 million). That figure covers capturing, sterilizing, tagging and releasing the animals.
Said asked how much of that sum had been approved, where it would come from, and how much had been spent. She also asked for the number of dogs captured, sterilized and vaccinated in each province, the status of shelters and treatment centers, response times to complaints about aggressive dogs, and the number of bite cases recorded in 2025 and 2026.
She further requested details on how the veterinary authority, provincial governments, and the health ministry coordinate, and called for regular public reports on spending and results.
The government has not yet publicly responded to the request.
Comments (0)