The rising cases of stray dog bites and the risk of spreading rabies in Kampala have forced the city authorities to sterilise dogs to cut down the number of stray canines.
The acting district veterinary officer, Dr Herbert Kasiita, said recent data shows there are 6,000 stray dogs, with another 2,000 dogs with owners who do not take care of them.“
Last year the stray dog population in Kampala was 6,000.
This year I am sure it is higher. I cannot give you the exact number, but it is higher than 6,000. The owned dogs were 12,000,’’ he said.
Dr Kasiita said the ever-swelling number of stray dogs has become a pressing challenge in Uganda’s capital city, Kampala, and the country as a whole.
He added that in the space of just five years, between 2015 and 2020, the country recorded 14,865 dog bites and 36 dog-bite-related deaths.
In May 2023, Dr Hannington Katumba, a veterinarian at Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), said they recorded between 15 and 20 dog bites monthly.
Rabies, a deadly viral disease, spreads to people and animals via saliva, usually through bites, scratches or direct contact with mucosa, including mouth or open wounds.