Latest news with #TNVR
Express Tribune
6 days ago
- Express Tribune
Stray dogs shot dead in private housing society despite court ban
In a disturbing incident on Defence road in Lahore's Kahna area, unidentified motorcyclists opened fire on stray dogs within a private housing society, killing several animals during the night. CCTV footage and photographs of the incident have surfaced, clearly showing armed individuals shooting at the dogs before fleeing the scene. This act of violence occurred despite a clear ban imposed by the Lahore High Court on the killing of stray dogs. The court has directed the Punjab government to enforce the TNVR (Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate, Release) policy, which aims to control the stray dog population through humane methods rather than lethal measures. Residents of the area reported that the shooters arrived late at night, targeted the dogs, and fled immediately after the gunfire. Locals claim this is not an isolated case; similar incidents have been reported in other parts of the city where stray dogs have been killed in the same manner. While citizens acknowledge that stray dog attacks—particularly on children—pose a real danger and are a growing concern in urban areas, they also criticise government authorities, especially municipal corporations and the livestock department, for failing to implement effective and humane solutions. There is currently no official government estimate of the stray dog population in Lahore. However, civil society groups and environmental organisations estimate that the city is home to between 30,000 and 35,000 stray dogs. The majority of these animals remain unvaccinated and unneutered, which increases the public health risk. Experts warn that unless the TNVR policy is properly implemented, the stray dog issue will continue to worsen. They caution that in the absence of official intervention, citizens may resort to harsh and unlawful actions on their own, leading to further legal and social complications.
Ya Biladi
19-05-2025
- Health
- Ya Biladi
«Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate, and Return», Morocco's strategy to manage stray dogs
Morocco is scaling up a nationwide program to sterilize, vaccinate, and release stray dogs, as part of efforts to manage their population while addressing concerns about public health and animal welfare. «We have a problem: stray dogs. So we have to solve it, but in a way that respects animals», Mohamed Roudani, head of public health and green spaces at the Interior Ministry, told the Associated Press (AP). He was referring to the «Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate, and Return» (TNVR) strategy, officially adopted by Morocco in 2019. The country has spent around $23 million on animal control centers and programs over the past five years. As part of the program, a center has opened in Rabat to carry out the TNVR strategy, with at least 14 more planned in other cities, aligning Morocco with recommendations from the World Organization for Animal Health. Located in El Aarjate, the facility houses hundreds of «Beldi» dogs, Morocco's street dogs. During a press visit, the Associated Press reported that the center treats and tags the animals before releasing them. At the center, veterinarians from the Association for the Protection of Animals and Nature say they care for between 400 and 500 dogs from Rabat and nearby towns. Dogs deemed too sick or aggressive are euthanized with sodium pentobarbital. «Slaughtering dogs leads to nothing», said Youssef Lhor, a veterinarian at the center. «This TNVR strategy is not a miracle solution, but it is one element that adds to everything else we're doing». The program comes as Morocco faces scrutiny from international animal rights groups, some of which accuse the country of killing stray dogs ahead of co-hosting the 2030 FIFA World Cup. Officials deny these claims and insist their policies align with animal welfare standards—not sporting events.
18-05-2025
- Health
Morocco unveils policies it hopes bolster the care and management of stray dogs
EL AARJATE, Morocco -- A mutt with a blue tag clipped to her ear whimpers as she's lifted from a cage and carried to a surgery table for a spay and a rabies vaccine, two critical steps before she's released back onto the streets of Morocco's capital. The 'Beldi,' as Moroccan street dogs are called, is among the hundreds taken from Rabat to a dog pound in a nearby forest. As part of an expanded 'Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate and Return' program, dogs like her are examined, treated and ultimately released with tags that make clear they pose no danger. 'We have a problem: That's stray dogs. So we have to solve it, but in a way that respects animals,' said Mohamed Roudani, the director of the Public Health and Green Spaces Department in Morocco's Interior Ministry. Morocco adopted 'Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate and Return,' or TVNR, in 2019. One facility has opened in Rabat and more are set to be launched in at least 14 other cities, aligning Morocco with recommendations from the World Organization for Animal Health. The government has spent roughly $23 million over the past five years on animal control centers and programs. Roudani said Morocco's updated approach balanced public safety, health and animal well-being. Local officials, he added, were eager to expand TVNR centers throughout the country. Though population estimates are challenging, based on samples of marked and tagged stray dogs, Moroccan officials believe they number between 1.2 to 1.5 million. Some neighborhoods welcome and care for them collectively. However, others decry their presence as a scourge and note that more than 100,000 Moroccans have needed rabies vaccinations after attacks. A draft law is in the works that would require owners to vaccinate pets and impose penalties for animal abuse. On a visit organized for journalists to a TNVR center in El Aarjate, enclosures for dogs appear spacious and orderly, with clean floors and the scent of disinfectant. Food and water bowls are refreshed regularly by staff who move between spaces, offering gentle words and careful handling. Some staff members say they grow so attached to the dogs that they miss them when they're released to make space to treat incoming strays. Veterinarians and doctors working for the Association for the Protection of Animals and Nature care for between 400 and 500 stray dogs from Rabat and surrounding cities. Dogs that veterinarians deem unhealthy or aggressive are euthanized using sodium pentobarbital, while the rest are released, unable to spread disease or reproduce. Youssef Lhor, a doctor and veterinarian, said that aggressive methods to cull dogs didn't effectively make communities safer from rabies or aggression. He said it made more sense to to try to have people coexist with dogs safely, noting that more than 200 had been released after treatment from the Rabat-area center. 'Slaughtering dogs leads to nothing. This TNVR strategy is not a miracle solution, but it is an element that will add to everything else we're doing,' he said, referring to 'Treat, Neuter, Vaccinate, Return.' It's designed to gradually reduce the stray dog population while minimizing the need for euthanasia. It's a program that Morocco is eager to showcase after animal rights groups accused it of ramping up efforts to cull street dogs after being named co-host of the 2030 FIFA World Cup last year. Animal rights groups routinely use large sporting events to draw attention to their cause and similarly targeted Russia in the lead-up to the 2018 FIFA World Cup there. Citing unnamed sources and videos it said were shot in Morocco, the International Animal Welfare and Protection Coalition claimed in January that Morocco was exterminating 3 million dogs, particularly around cities where stadiums are being built. The allegations, reported widely by international media lacking a presence in Morocco, triggered anti-FIFA protests as far away as Ahmedabad, India. 'These dogs are being shot in the street, often in front of children, or dragged away with wire nooses to die slow, agonizing deaths,' Ian Ward, the coalition's chairman, said in a statement. Moroccan officials vehemently deny the claims, say they're implementing the very programs that activists propose, including TNVR. They rebuff the idea that any policy is related to the World Cup. Still, critics see their efforts as publicity stunts and are skeptical such programs are as widespread as officials claim. in local media but Moroccan officials say, despite international attention, they're isolated incidents and don't reflect on-the-ground reality nationwide.
Hamilton Spectator
18-05-2025
- Health
- Hamilton Spectator
Morocco unveils policies it hopes bolster the care and management of stray dogs
EL AARJATE, Morocco (AP) — A mutt with a blue tag clipped to her ear whimpers as she's lifted from a cage and carried to a surgery table for a spay and a rabies vaccine, two critical steps before she's released back onto the streets of Morocco's capital. The 'Beldi,' as Moroccan street dogs are called, is among the hundreds taken from Rabat to a dog pound in a nearby forest. As part of an expanded 'Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate and Return' program, dogs like her are examined, treated and ultimately released with tags that make clear they pose no danger. 'We have a problem: That's stray dogs. So we have to solve it, but in a way that respects animals,' said Mohamed Roudani, the director of the Public Health and Green Spaces Department in Morocco's Interior Ministry. Trying to balance safety and animal well-being Morocco adopted 'Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate and Return,' or TVNR, in 2019. One facility has opened in Rabat and more are set to be launched in at least 14 other cities, aligning Morocco with recommendations from the World Organization for Animal Health. The government has spent roughly $23 million over the past five years on animal control centers and programs. Roudani said Morocco's updated approach balanced public safety, health and animal well-being. Local officials, he added, were eager to expand TVNR centers throughout the country. Though population estimates are challenging, based on samples of marked and tagged stray dogs, Moroccan officials believe they number between 1.2 to 1.5 million. Some neighborhoods welcome and care for them collectively. However, others decry their presence as a scourge and note that more than 100,000 Moroccans have needed rabies vaccinations after attacks. A draft law is in the works that would require owners to vaccinate pets and impose penalties for animal abuse. Inside the center On a visit organized for journalists to a TNVR center in El Aarjate, enclosures for dogs appear spacious and orderly, with clean floors and the scent of disinfectant. Food and water bowls are refreshed regularly by staff who move between spaces, offering gentle words and careful handling. Some staff members say they grow so attached to the dogs that they miss them when they're released to make space to treat incoming strays. Veterinarians and doctors working for the Association for the Protection of Animals and Nature care for between 400 and 500 stray dogs from Rabat and surrounding cities. Dogs that veterinarians deem unhealthy or aggressive are euthanized using sodium pentobarbital, while the rest are released, unable to spread disease or reproduce. Youssef Lhor, a doctor and veterinarian, said that aggressive methods to cull dogs didn't effectively make communities safer from rabies or aggression. He said it made more sense to to try to have people coexist with dogs safely, noting that more than 200 had been released after treatment from the Rabat-area center. 'Slaughtering dogs leads to nothing. This TNVR strategy is not a miracle solution, but it is an element that will add to everything else we're doing,' he said, referring to 'Treat, Neuter, Vaccinate, Return.' It's designed to gradually reduce the stray dog population while minimizing the need for euthanasia. It's a program that Morocco is eager to showcase after animal rights groups accused it of ramping up efforts to cull street dogs after being named co-host of the 2030 FIFA World Cup last year. Animal rights groups protest Animal rights groups routinely use large sporting events to draw attention to their cause and similarly targeted Russia in the lead-up to the 2018 FIFA World Cup there. Citing unnamed sources and videos it said were shot in Morocco, the International Animal Welfare and Protection Coalition claimed in January that Morocco was exterminating 3 million dogs, particularly around cities where stadiums are being built. The allegations, reported widely by international media lacking a presence in Morocco, triggered anti-FIFA protests as far away as Ahmedabad, India. 'These dogs are being shot in the street, often in front of children, or dragged away with wire nooses to die slow, agonizing deaths,' Ian Ward, the coalition's chairman, said in a statement. Moroccan officials vehemently deny the claims, say they're implementing the very programs that activists propose, including TNVR. They rebuff the idea that any policy is related to the World Cup. Still, critics see their efforts as publicity stunts and are skeptical such programs are as widespread as officials claim. Instances of mistreatment and euthanasia by gunshot have been reported in local media but Moroccan officials say, despite international attention, they're isolated incidents and don't reflect on-the-ground reality nationwide.
San Francisco Chronicle
18-05-2025
- Health
- San Francisco Chronicle
Morocco unveils policies it hopes bolster the care and management of stray dogs
EL AARJATE, Morocco (AP) — A mutt with a blue tag clipped to her ear whimpers as she's lifted from a cage and carried to a surgery table for a spay and a rabies vaccine, two critical steps before she's released back onto the streets of Morocco's capital. The 'Beldi,' as Moroccan street dogs are called, is among the hundreds taken from Rabat to a dog pound in a nearby forest. As part of an expanded 'Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate and Return' program, dogs like her are examined, treated and ultimately released with tags that make clear they pose no danger. 'We have a problem: That's stray dogs. So we have to solve it, but in a way that respects animals,' said Mohamed Roudani, the director of the Public Health and Green Spaces Department in Morocco's Interior Ministry. Trying to balance safety and animal well-being Morocco adopted 'Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate and Return,' or TVNR, in 2019. One facility has opened in Rabat and more are set to be launched in at least 14 other cities, aligning Morocco with recommendations from the World Organization for Animal Health. The government has spent roughly $23 million over the past five years on animal control centers and programs. Roudani said Morocco's updated approach balanced public safety, health and animal well-being. Local officials, he added, were eager to expand TVNR centers throughout the country. Though population estimates are challenging, based on samples of marked and tagged stray dogs, Moroccan officials believe they number between 1.2 to 1.5 million. Some neighborhoods welcome and care for them collectively. However, others decry their presence as a scourge and note that more than 100,000 Moroccans have needed rabies vaccinations after attacks. A draft law is in the works that would require owners to vaccinate pets and impose penalties for animal abuse. Inside the center On a visit organized for journalists to a TNVR center in El Aarjate, enclosures for dogs appear spacious and orderly, with clean floors and the scent of disinfectant. Food and water bowls are refreshed regularly by staff who move between spaces, offering gentle words and careful handling. Some staff members say they grow so attached to the dogs that they miss them when they're released to make space to treat incoming strays. Veterinarians and doctors working for the Association for the Protection of Animals and Nature care for between 400 and 500 stray dogs from Rabat and surrounding cities. Dogs that veterinarians deem unhealthy or aggressive are euthanized using sodium pentobarbital, while the rest are released, unable to spread disease or reproduce. Youssef Lhor, a doctor and veterinarian, said that aggressive methods to cull dogs didn't effectively make communities safer from rabies or aggression. He said it made more sense to to try to have people coexist with dogs safely, noting that more than 200 had been released after treatment from the Rabat-area center. 'Slaughtering dogs leads to nothing. This TNVR strategy is not a miracle solution, but it is an element that will add to everything else we're doing,' he said, referring to 'Treat, Neuter, Vaccinate, Return.' It's designed to gradually reduce the stray dog population while minimizing the need for euthanasia. It's a program that Morocco is eager to showcase after animal rights groups accused it of ramping up efforts to cull street dogs after being named co-host of the 2030 FIFA World Cup last year. Animal rights groups protest Animal rights groups routinely use large sporting events to draw attention to their cause and similarly targeted Russia in the lead-up to the 2018 FIFA World Cup there. Citing unnamed sources and videos it said were shot in Morocco, the International Animal Welfare and Protection Coalition claimed in January that Morocco was exterminating 3 million dogs, particularly around cities where stadiums are being built. The allegations, reported widely by international media lacking a presence in Morocco, triggered anti-FIFA protests as far away as Ahmedabad, India. 'These dogs are being shot in the street, often in front of children, or dragged away with wire nooses to die slow, agonizing deaths,' Ian Ward, the coalition's chairman, said in a statement. Moroccan officials vehemently deny the claims, say they're implementing the very programs that activists propose, including TNVR. They rebuff the idea that any policy is related to the World Cup. Still, critics see their efforts as publicity stunts and are skeptical such programs are as widespread as officials claim. Instances of mistreatment and euthanasia by gunshot have been reported in local media but Moroccan officials say, despite international attention, they're isolated incidents and don't reflect on-the-ground reality nationwide.
