SWAT teams address stray dog crisis in Mosul as safety concerns mount

NINEVEH — Iraqi SWAT teams have undertaken efforts to mitigate the risks stray dogs pose to public safety and health in Mosul as the city grapples with a reported 40,000 population of strays.

The increasing presence of stray dogs in residential neighborhoods, especially during nighttime, has raised concerns among residents due to potential threats of attack and transmission of diseases. The city’s stray dog control committee has faced operational delays due to funding shortages, leading to proposals for establishing a sanctuary outside the city to manage the population through scientific methods.

Omar Al-Hayali, director of the Veterinary Hospital in Nineveh, addressed the issue in an interview with 964media. “We are members of the stray dog control committee, headed by the Deputy Governor of Nineveh for Services Affairs. We have received numerous complaints from residents regarding this issue, which we have conveyed to the governorate office. A new campaign is set to begin either at the end of December or early 2025,” he stated.

Stray dogs in Iraq pose significant threats to public safety, with numerous reports of attacks and the transmission of diseases such as rabies. In Nasiriyah, authorities poisoned over 600 stray dogs following incidents where 11 children were attacked. In Nineveh, veterinary teams culled 400 stray dogs after a child was killed by these animals. It is just a small sample of incidents across the country.

Al-Hayali noted that previous campaigns had been suspended for the past two months due to a lack of financial allocations under veterinary and municipal efforts. “Currently, we are relying on SWAT teams to address the issue using specialized cartridges,” he added. “On behalf of myself and the entire staff at the veterinary hospital, I assure residents that the campaign will resume soon.”

To address the long-term issue, the committee has proposed creating a designated sanctuary for stray dogs on the outskirts of the city. “The proposal includes selecting a suitable location in coordination with the Nineveh Agriculture Directorate. The area should be remote, preferably desert-like, and far from villages. The plan involves relocating the dogs, sterilizing them, and managing their population scientifically,” Al-Hayali explained.

He also highlighted the importance of distinguishing between harmful and harmless dogs, emphasizing the committee’s role in managing the situation. “Our duty is to control the stray dog population and relocate them outside the city. We are awaiting the necessary financial allocations to move forward,” he said.