Recently, near Shivpuri Dham Temple in Dhangadhi, a single dog was found abandoned inside a tightly tied bag, its muzzle sealed with tape. Caught between life and death, the dog was rescued by the police and handed over to its owner. The dog had displayed no malicious behavior or bitten any person. In fact, it was suffering from distemper. Local sources reported that the dog was left alone in a remote area in this condition. Despite taking custody of the dog, the owner did not provide further treatment.
Animal welfare worker Ritika Gurung was administering medication to the dog, but ultimately, the dog could not be saved. Ritika said, “We have not been able to file a complaint yesterday and today due to holidays. We will file a complaint tomorrow and take necessary action.”
Within a day of the cruel incident in Dhangadhi becoming public, another dog was found hung and killed in an under-construction building in Damak-8 area.
Locals stated that this action was taken because the dog had bitten a child. After the incident, they requested Damak Municipality for help in managing the situation, but the municipality refused, asking them to handle it themselves. Following this, the dog was hung and killed, according to Irfan Khan, who works in animal welfare. He said, “We have already requested the police to take action in this matter.” He also added that “The police have committed to carry out the necessary legal procedures.”
Animal rights activist Alina Prasai previously expressed frustration over the police’s slow response to complaints about increasing cruelty against community dogs and the lack of accountability even when complaints are filed.
Alina is the chairperson of Alinaz Animal Preservation Nepal based in Biratnagar. She stated, “Due to the widespread fear that street dogs cause rabies when they bite, killing and chasing street dogs has become routine behavior.” According to her, since violence against dogs occurs daily, it is essential to improve attitudes and practices in this regard.
