Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly stressed on Monday, 18 May, the need to confront the phenomenon of the spread of stray dogs through sterilisation, vaccination, shelter expansion, and coordinated veterinary intervention, shifting away from reactive or ad hoc approaches to managing stray animals.
The news comes after several governorates have witnessed a noticeable increase in stray dog attack incidents. The most recent case was that of the child “Bassem El-Sayed” in Suez Governorate, whose funeral was held after he died while trying to escape from being chased by a group of stray dogs.
Rather than functioning as a one-time campaign, the initiative forms part of the government’s broader “Egypt Rabies-Free 2030” strategy, which aims to reduce rabies transmission, respond to growing public safety concerns, and gradually stabilise stray dog populations across the country.
Under the plan, authorities will establish sterilisation and veterinary treatment centres in multiple governorates, alongside dedicated shelters designed to house stray dogs away from densely populated residential areas. The government has also announced the deployment of mobile veterinary units and specialised transport vehicles to support field operations and emergency response efforts.
Dogs captured by veterinary teams will be sterilised, vaccinated against rabies, medically assessed, and identified before either being relocated to shelters or returned to monitored areas where appropriate.
The programme will also expand rabies vaccination coverage and increase the availability of veterinary medicines, equipment, and trained personnel. Local authorities are expected to coordinate with veterinary directorates and municipal bodies to respond more quickly to public complaints, dog bite incidents, and areas reporting high stray dog concentrations.
Implementation is expected to take place in phases, with priority initially given to districts that have seen a rise in complaints or public safety concerns. Parts of Greater Cairo, including Ain Shams, have already been identified among the first target areas following repeated reports related to stray dog attacks and overcrowding.
Officials have also indicated that some shelters may include quarantine facilities, treatment areas, and adoption services as part of a wider effort to improve animal welfare standards while maintaining population control measures.
Egypt’s stray animal crisis has remained a longstanding issue, with the Egyptian Federation for Animal Welfare estimating that around 100 million stray and street cats roam the country, alongside an estimated 15 million stray dogs.
Comments (0)