Manage Street Dogs

Street dogs are everywhere in Nepal. From the busy roads of Kathmandu to rural villages far away, stray dogs have somehow become a part of our daily life. Some people feed them and take care of them, some fear them, thinking they might bite and cause rabies, while some abuse and hit them. 

But the truth is, Nepal’s street dog problem affects both humans and animals, and this issue is getting harder to ignore. According to a media report, Kathmandu alone has around 19000 to 23000 street dogs. Some older studies even estimated more than 170000 street dogs in the Kathmandu Valley alone. These numbers indicate how alarming the situation has become.

The major concern for street dogs is rabies. The World Health Organisation (WHO) states that dogs cause about 99 per cent of rabies transmission to humans in the countries where rabies is common. Reports also show that fewer than 35 people die from rabies every year in Nepal. Children are especially at risk because they are more likely to play with street dogs without understanding the danger. As a morning student, I’ve personally encountered packs of dogs early in the morning. They roam around in packs, barking at the people passing by, even chasing them. Not to mention, they disturb people’s sleep by barking and crying all night. 

At the same time, the dogs themselves have to live a difficult life. They mostly suffer from hunger, different diseases and even abuse. Some are hit by vehicles, suffering for the rest of their life. Some are abandoned by their owners, left to fend for themselves. During Kukur Tihar, people worship dogs, giving them food, but after the festival, street dogs have to return to their lives without care and food. The problem further continues due to the poor waste management system in Nepal. There are open garbage piles lying around the streets. This provides easy access to food for the street dogs, allowing their population to increase quickly.

However, killing the street dogs is not the answer to this problem. Many experts and animal welfare groups claim that vaccination and sterilisation programmes are the best solution in the long run. According to the WHO, vaccinating 70 per cent of the dogs can effectively control rabies. 

In order to manage these street dogs, the government, local communities and all the citizens must come together. There should be regular funding for the vaccination and sterilisation programmes. People should also be more conscious and stop abandoning their pets. A better waste management system can help to reduce the growing population of street dogs, as does the management of dog shelters and rescue teams.  

Street dogs are not just an animal issue. They are environmental issues, public health issues and even social issues. It is important to know that compassion alone is not enough, but cruelty is also not the solution. There is a need for a balanced solution to manage these street dogs accordingly. Nepal truly needs responsibility and proper actions.