Don’t kill stray dogs, export them, says Bahrain MP

Manama : To tackle the increasing numbers of stray dogs amid public resorting to poisoning, MP Jamal Dawood has asked the government to allow export of the canine population to other countries.

“The stray dog menace is expanding into a crisis that threatens the lives of citizens and destroys their property,” said Dawood, who has officially submitted a proposal to the government to tackle the phenomenon, especially in residential areas.

“The solution is that the Ministry fulfils its promises and establishes a shelter for stray dogs. If the ministry isn’t able to do that, then it should export them to other countries that would accept them. As for the poisoning of the dogs, it is a wrong action taken by those affected by the problem and couldn’t be protected by the government,” he told DT News recently when pointed out the poisoning of stray animals, particularly dogs, in different areas of the country.

The MP’s reference was to Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Ministry, which is in charge of solving the issue, and recently pledged to build a shelter in Ma’ameer village to accommodate the dogs.

The MP’s proposal read, “The increasing numbers of stray dogs have been noticed recently in various areas of Bahrain, especially residential neighbourhoods. The problem has become the talk of the town, after the stray dogs threatened the lives of citizens, as well as attacking several livestock pens and poultry, killing a number of them and costing the owners high financial burdens.”

He described the procedures taken by the ministry to tackle the issue as “inefficient”.

Dawood represents several areas in Hamad Town, where attacks by stray dogs and against them have been increasing of late.

He continued, “Despite the establishment of a hotline by the ministry to receive reports on the existence of stray dogs in various areas of Bahrain, especially in residential areas, and the use of cages to catch the dogs, the nature of the breeding of this type of dogs is beyond the procedures taken by the ministry. It should adapt other effective measures to eliminate this problem and protect citizens from the risk of stray dogs.”

“Based on human rights, a higher level than legal rights, quick action must be taken to address the problem of stray dogs, which has become a disaster. At the same time, it is unreasonable that Bahrain is considered a home of stray dogs, especially since the law emphasises the responsibility of the ministry to protect the society from stray animals. Therefore, the ministry bears full responsibility and must find a solution,” Dawood added.