Jordan to control stray animal population

In the kingdom of Jordan over 3,000 stray dogs and cats roam the streets of the capital city of Amman. They wander the streets surviving on whatever food they can scavenge and live without a place or shelter to call home.

The stray animals do, however, pose a risk to residents, especially in spreading infectious diseases.

According to officials an increase in dog attacks on residents in rural areas pushed authorities to come up with a solution to address the large number of stray animals before it becomes unmanageable.

Amman’s greater municipality and environment department and animal care center has recently opened a new veterinary centre in Muager, a desert town near the capital, to carry out procedures of sterilization for dogs and cats collected by local authorities across the kingdom.


Hussein Jabber a veterinary surgeon says dogs and cats are neutered, inoculated as well as provided treatment for parasites before they are released back into the city.

"We conduct surgeries three days a week. The operations take place as follows: Operation for male dogs takes 15 minutes and for pregnant female dogs the operation lasts half an hour but an operation for a non-pregnant female require 20 minutes," he said.

An estimated 1,500 animals have been neutered at the centre since the project initiated a few months ago.

The center is funded by contributions of the royal family and the Amman municipality.

Meanwhile in Iraq, a program was carried out to eliminate the over one million population of stray animals in the capital Baghdad.

An increase in the population of stray dogs after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 has resulted in the practice of shooting the animals in a bid to contain their growth.