Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation Announce On Friday 17 July, a unified national street animal management strategy will be immediately implemented, reaffirming that sterilization, rabies vaccination and the trap-neuter-return (TNR) program will remain the country’s official approach to controlling the stray dog population.
The declaration also prohibits the use of poisons, mass slaughter, and the unauthorized transportation of street animals outside the specified framework. The ministry said that violators will face immediate legal action.
The strategy comes in the wake of a joint coordination conference hosted by the Egyptian Military College and attended by the Minister of Agriculture, Alaa Farouk, the Minister of Local Development and Environment, Manal Awad, and representatives of the Ministries of Justice, Housing, Social Solidarity, Endowments, and the Egyptian Veterinary Syndicate, in addition to the security, regulatory, and sovereign authorities. According to the ministry, the meeting resulted in the formation of a committee charged with unifying veterinary sector policies and supervising issues related to street animals and broader veterinary services.
TNR remains Egypt’s official policy
Ministry He said Egypt’s new strategy is consistent with its commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, and international standards issued by the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH).
Officials described the TNR program, in which stray dogs are trapped, sterilized, vaccinated against rabies and returned to their original locations, as the only internationally recognized scientific and veterinary approach to managing street dog populations while maintaining ecological balance.
The Ministry also called for an immediate cessation of any individual or uncoordinated actions outside the national framework, stressing that only approved authorities may supervise the management of stray animals.
The Ministry highlights the environmental role of street animals
The ministry said in its statement Argue Domesticated street animals contribute to the environmental balance in Egypt by helping to limit the spread of rodents and poisonous reptiles.
She added that climate change has contributed to a significant increase in the reproduction rates of some dangerous reptiles and rodents, describing street animals as “the first natural environmental defense line” against these groups. The Ministry said that disturbing this balance may pose risks to public health and urban environmental security.
The statement also cited scientific studies conducted by the Egyptian Academy of Scientific Research and Technology and specialized medical committees, saying that depriving street animals of food and water can increase aggressive behavior as the animals compete for survival. According to the ministry, this reinforces the need for vaccination, sterilization, and scientific control of the population instead of punitive measures.
Legal action against violations
Ministry urge Citizens, civil society organizations, companies and local authorities must adhere to the national strategy and refrain from taking independent actions outside the approved framework.
She added that legal measures will be taken, in coordination with security and regulatory authorities, against practices that violate the plan or spreading misleading information about the issue.
Broader reforms to the veterinary sector
Besides stray animal management, the newly formed committee will also oversee reforms in Egypt’s veterinary sector, including strengthening biological threat preparedness, improving veterinary education and scientific research, modernizing slaughterhouses, laboratories and veterinary units, supporting livestock, fisheries and poultry development, updating legislation, and expanding digital databases and smart platforms designed to improve crisis prediction and resource management.
The announcement comes amid an ongoing debate over the estimated 10 to 11 million stray dogs in Egypt, where recurring dog bite incidents have increased calls for stronger public safety measures while animal welfare groups continue to advocate against the culling of dogs in favor of sterilization and vaccination programs.