The Municipality of Ramallah launched the “Extermination of Stray Dogs Campaign” a week ago, which calls for the brutal slaughter of harmless stray dogs. This campaign is grossly inadequate and does not offer an effective or sustainable solution, as illustrated in the past.

The Municipality of Ramallah, in collaboration with the newly founded Palestinian Animal Rights Organization and others, took the decision to start this campaign to control the rising population of stray dogs in the city. These decision-makers may have the authority but they are not qualified to take this decision when they lack basic awareness for such matters.

Baghdad carried out the same campaign and exterminated a total of 58,000 dogs in the span of 3 months. Needless to say, they were not successful in permanently eliminating the problem; they simply offered the quickest, low cost, temporary solution, regardless of how brutal the tactics.

There are alternative animal friendly approaches to control the population of stray animals such as the “Spray and Release” program, which was adopted by the Turkish government. Dogs are captured, neutered, vaccinated, and released back into society. Their inability to reproduce will control the number of stray dogs permanently in the span of a few years, and their vaccination will eliminate harm in the unlikely event that a dog might be provoked and forced to inflict harm.

The Municipality is not expected to adopt this system on its own, but the least they can do is seek help from people who have experience as oppose to taking uneducated decisions.

Please show your support against this campaign and future ones like it.