The presence of stray dogs is linked to poverty and is seen as a blight on a city’s image, raising concerns about public health, safety, and aesthetics. But how real is this problem? (Photo Credit: @abonthestreet on X)
. . .
In almost all aspects, Addis Ababa is a rapidly growing city. One of the city’s features that has shown rapid growth is its stray dog population. Whether it's in the city centers or inner neighborhoods, Addis Ababa’s stray dogs have made themselves at home. Often, the presence of stray dogs is linked to poverty and is seen as a blight on a city’s image, raising concerns about public health, safety, and aesthetics. But how real is this problem? And what can be done to solve it?
The Problem: Too Many Stray Dogs
The estimates around Addis Ababa’s stray dog population vary. But they can get as low as 150,000 and as high as 250,000. For most of us, stray dogs are unassuming creatures to whom we throw the occasional scraps of food. They’re nothing more than scavengers in the city. However, there are certain risks associated with a high population of strays.
Globally, around 55,000 people die annually from rabies. 95% of rabies cases occur in Asia and Africa. In Ethiopia, there is an average of 7,000 rabies cases reported annually. This indicates a high presence of rabies exposure in Ethiopia. Granted, dogs aren’t the sole transmitters of rabies. However, they contribute a significant amount. In fact, the majority of rabies cases in Ethiopia were caused by dogs. Dogs also constitute 73% of the animals that die from rabies. From this, we see that stray dogs pose a real threat to public health. So, what has the government been doing about it?
The Government’s Solution: Culling
Culling generally refers to the mass killing of animals to control their population. In the case of stray dogs, culling is often carried out by feeding the dogs poisoned meat. Culling operations are carried out by the Addis Ababa city administration. In 2013, for example, the administration carried out a massive culling operation that killed just under 10,000 stray dogs. Officials justified the move as a necessary public health intervention, citing rising cases of rabies and frequent attacks on pedestrians, particularly children.
While culling may seem like a quick and straightforward way to reduce stray dog numbers, it raises serious ethical and practical concerns. Animal welfare advocates condemn the practice as cruel and outdated, pointing out that it often causes unnecessary suffering and fails to address the root causes of overpopulation, such as uncontrolled breeding and lack of veterinary care.
Moreover, studies have shown that culling rarely produces lasting results. In the absence of sustained vaccination and sterilization programs, stray dog populations often rebound rapidly due to what is known as the "vacuum effect", where new animals migrate into the area to fill the ecological niche left by the culled population. This cycle not only undermines the effectiveness of culling as a long-term strategy but also wastes public resources that could be invested in more humane and sustainable interventions.
Another issue that comes with culling is waste management. More particularly, handling the corpses of dead animals. After stray dogs are killed, their corpses are rarely disposed of safely. Rather, they are allowed to rot in the street, causing even further health hazards to residents.
While there are laws that prohibit animal cruelty in public places, the welfare of stray dogs (or animals in general) has rarely been a public issue in Ethiopia. That is, until recently. Various Ethiopian TikTok creators are sharing content that revolves around caring for stray dogs. The majority of these initiatives are independent and mostly deal with feeding stray dogs and advocating for their welfare. TikTok pages like Feven and Dr. Alazar are notable examples. Feven is known for daily street feedings and heartfelt stories that highlight the emotional intelligence and resilience of stray dogs. Dr. Alazar, a veterinarian, uses his platform not only to care for injured animals but also to educate the public on responsible pet ownership, the importance of vaccination, and the risks associated with neglect. As this conversation gains momentum, it’s important to highlight that there are indeed safer and more ethical alternatives to managing the stray dog population.
Alternative Solutions
One possible solution is mass vaccination, which will dramatically reduce the health risk these animals face without inflicting harm on them. It’s a humane, scientifically backed strategy that has shown success in many countries, and it can serve as the foundation for long-term stray dog management in Addis Ababa. Another equally important solution is mass neutering or sterilization. This involves surgically preventing stray dogs from reproducing, thereby controlling population growth over time. While it may take several years to see a noticeable decrease in stray numbers, mass neutering is effective in the long run and avoids the vacuum effect often caused by culling.
Perhaps the most intensive, yet most compassionate solution, is the creation and support of community shelters. By establishing well-managed shelters, stray dogs can be removed from the streets, significantly lowering the chances of traffic accidents, dog bites, and disease transmission. Shelters offer a safe environment where dogs can be vaccinated, treated, and eventually adopted into loving homes. We’re already seeing that there are compassionate individuals who are willing to dedicate their time and energy to this cause. What’s needed now is institutional support to help scale up these efforts. With proper funding, training, and policy backing, shelters could become not just temporary refuges, but community hubs for education, outreach, and long-term solutions. Once vaccinated and rehabilitated, many shelter dogs could also be adopted by pet lovers, giving them a second chance at life and companionship.
In short, as with most complex issues, the solution to the stray dog problem must be multi-faceted to achieve lasting results. It is also time to raise public awareness about animal welfare and make compassion an integral part of the strategy. Addressing this challenge effectively requires not just practical interventions, but a cultural shift toward empathy, responsibility, and humane treatment.
