stray dogs

on Monday October 8th, heads turned, and for all the wrong reasons, to Margret Azer, Under-Secretary of the Commission on Human Rights of the Egyptian Parliament. She suggested that Egypt should consider exporting stray dogs to countries like Korea to solve its growing stray dogs problem.

Azer exclusively spoke to Sada El Balad, explaining how the dogs should follow a certain diet for at least a week before being exported. The MP declared that the widespread phenomenon of stray dogs in Egypt has many harmful consequences. For instance, the dogs could attack or harm citizens on the streets.

According to Sada El Balad, Azer further explained that her suggestion comes in response to recommendations made by other parliament members to either shoot the dogs, poison or neuter them. She refused these suggestions, stating that they’re against animal rights and could lead to extinction.

On the other hand, animal rights activist Mona Khalil commented on the situation saying that she was “shocked” and that there was surely a mistake in the wording of Azer’s statements.
During a telephone intervention on “dmc Evening” presented by Iman Al Hosary, Khalil said that she had contacted the Under-Secretary of the Commission on Human Rights herself asking her about the validity of her statements. Azer verified the statement, adding that “exporting the dogs is more humane than neutering them, and that they would be considered as a resource that the country can benefit from.”

Unfortunately, this is not the first time we witness such violations against animal rights and welfare from the authorities. In a previous incident, which Identity has reported, the governor of Alexandria had ordered the shooting of all stray dogs in 2015 in an attempt to “clean the streets”.

In fact it’s not only the authorities which continue to take such atrocious measures. Private clubs like Al Gezira and Al-Ahly have been poisoning cats for years. Not to mention the gruesome killing of stray cats and dogs on the streets by ordinary citizens, something which got us to question the mental and psychological health of most Egyptians.

No matter how many problems could arise from having stray animals in Egypt, killing poor helpless souls is never the right answer.