Night falls, dogs roam: Fear spreads in al-Anbar
Shafaq News – al-Anbar
A surge in stray dogs across al-Anbar’s neighborhoods and markets has stirred growing fear among residents after a series of attacks, the latest leaving a man injured in central Ramadi.
On Saturday, a source at Ramadi municipality told Shafaq News that the spread poses a daily threat to families, particularly children and the elderly, warning of disease risks amid the lack of control measures.
Residents confirmed that packs of dogs roam the streets after dark. “We’re afraid to let our children walk to school,” said Ali Ahmad, a resident of al-Tameem. “The dogs are everywhere, and no one is doing anything to stop them.”
Activists in al-Anbar, including Abdullah Salman, are calling for joint operations involving municipal, health, and veterinary agencies. “This has become a direct threat to people’s safety,” he told Shafaq News.
Similar scenes have been reported in other provinces as Iraq struggles with its estimated one million stray dogs. In Duhok, a ruling permitting the killing of strays drew public criticism, while in Baghdad and Erbil, authorities and volunteer groups have launched sterilization and vaccination campaigns without finding a lasting solution.
Read more: Culling vs. Sterilization: The battle over Baghdad's stray dogs.
