Shafaq News– Erbil
A group of environmental and animal rights activists on Sunday protested outside the United Nations headquarters in Erbil, the capital of Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, denouncing Iraqi government “extermination campaigns” against stray dogs.
Activists submitted a formal protest memorandum to the UN
mission. The document urges the international community and global animal
protection organizations to take immediate action to stop a government campaign
that “has resulted in the killing of more than 20,000 dogs so far.”
They also warned of the environmental consequences, noting that leaving the bodies of killed dogs in streets and public squares poses a serious health risk and could contribute to the spread of viruses, microbes, and diseases among the population. The participants called for the establishment of government-supervised animal shelters as an alternative to field killings, pointing out that their protests will extend to international human rights organizations in coordination with activists across Iraq.
Farman Fadil, protest organizer, said at a press conference the ongoing campaign to eliminate stray dogs across Iraq, particularly in Baghdad and the southern provinces, has turned into a display of force by the government, involving the deployment of military units that should have been assigned to other duties.
“The government should instead conduct medical testing,
sterilization, and vaccination programs, rather than resorting to brutal
methods,” he added.
Iraq is estimated to have more than one million stray dogs, with authorities reporting widespread dog-bite incidents across several provinces, including Diyala, Baghdad, Al-Anbar, Dhi Qar, Nineveh, Kirkuk, Maysan, and parts of the Kurdistan Region. In Diyala alone, health officials recorded more than 1,000 cases in the first five months 2025.
Meanwhile, animal rights advocates have criticized policies allowing the killing of stray dogs, warning that culling could disrupt ecological balance and violate Kurdistan Region Law No. 14 of 2022, which bans the killing of stray animals and mandates humane care.
Read more: Culling vs. Sterilization: The battle over Baghdad's stray dogs