Fear Of Rabies: Thousands Of Dogs Killed In Ethiopia

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Fear Of Rabies

In the capital, Addis Ababa 8400 dogs were euthanized in the past half year. The number of stray dogs is growing, 80 percent of the 300,000 animals are abandoned.

To curb the spread of rabies in Addis Ababa, the city says it has euthanized 8,400 stray dogs over the past six months. “We do not think it’s the best way to kill them,” said Asegid Hailegiorgis of the city government. However, rabies is now a big problem and the number of stray dogs in the city is growing “extremely” fast.

In Ethiopia’s capital, with an estimated six million inhabitants, there are about 300,000 dogs according to the city administration. Around 80 percent of them are stray animals. In 2007 and 2013, the city administration euthanized a large number of stray dogs. They are currently waiting for subsequent delivery of the medicines.

The animal rights activist Elleni Hailu sharply criticized the actions of the city. “In my opinion, letting the stray dogs go will not change anything,” she said. Instead, the animals should be vaccinated and sterilized. Otherwise, the number of stray dogs would rise again, she says.