Gov’t implements solutions adopted by Netherlands, India to address stray dog problem

CAIRO – 11 June 2026: Approximately 8 million stray dogs spread across Egypt’s streets, according to Al-Sayyed El-Quseir, Head of the Agriculture Committee in the House of Representatives and former Minister of Agriculture. He noted, however, that this estimate could be inaccurate due to the difficulty of tracking street populations.

In comments to Sky News Arabia, El-Quseir stated that the government is actively exploring sustainable management strategies modeled after solutions implemented in countries like India and the Netherlands.

Some animal rights organizations say there are 200 million stray dogs in the world. In Netherlands, the government has launched a comprehensive, nationwide sterilization campaign titled (Collect, Neuter, Vaccinate, and Return) to overcome the population of the stray dogs. As for India, the government adopted a plan focusing on sterilization and vaccination to control population (about 80 million) and prevent rabies, according to “In the Defense of Animals” organization.

The phenomenon of the increasing number of stray dogs became annoying for some people, especially those who are allergic and afraid of dogs. Despite the lawmaker’s comments, the Ministry of Health’s statement in January said that about 1.4 million people have been bitten by stray dogs in only 2025. 

That is why Ibrahim Saber, Governor of Cairo, has announced last week the launch of the first integrated shelter for stray dogs. He added that the construction will be a fully equipped facility to house, treat, vaccinate, and sterilize stray dogs. This comes in cooperation with the General Authority for Veterinary Services.

Hussain Abdel Rahman Abu Saddam, an agricultural expert and Head of the Farmers' Syndicate, stated on December 23, 2025 that the number of stray dogs in Egypt is estimated at approximately 11 million. Abu Saddam emphasized that dogs typically bite only when infected with rabies or when provoked.

Dr. Mohamed El-Husseini Awad, Director of the General Administration for Animal Welfare and Licensing at the Ministry of Agriculture, has outlined the gap between Egypt’s current stray dog population and international averages. He stated that official estimates currently being finalized by the Ministry indicate the presence of approximately 11 million stray dogs nationwide.