News Summary
- The Nepalese government and local authorities spend millions annually on dog population control and rabies prevention programs.
- Unregulated and illegal dog breeding centers are indiscriminately producing puppies, contributing to an increased street dog population.
The government of Nepal and local bodies annually allocate millions of rupees for dog population management and rabies control. Despite these efforts, the problem persists due to the lack of regulations governing uncontrolled dog breeding centers.
For instance, Kathmandu Metropolitan City has budgeted NPR 10 million this fiscal year alone for street dog management, sterilization, and vaccination, aiming to sterilize over 10,000 dogs.
Similar programs are conducted nationwide by rural municipalities and municipalities, from Dolpa to Siraha and Saptari, costing millions each year.
Each dog sterilization and vaccination costs a minimum of NPR 5,000 to 7,000 and must be performed by trained veterinarians.
The primary goal of this expenditure is to reduce the risks associated with a growing street dog population.
As the dog population increases, risks such as bites, attacks, accidents, and rabies outbreaks rise, which also lead to expensive human treatments. The state spends anywhere from hundreds of thousands to millions on rabies vaccinations and treatments, yet street dog numbers remain high.
Why does the street dog population continue to rise despite spending millions on sterilization?
The significant role of breeding centers is a key factor behind the failure to reduce the street dog population proportionately, despite substantial spending by local and central governments on sterilization programs.
While the government is investing in sterilization and rabies vaccination to control street dogs, unregulated and illegal breeding centers continuously produce new puppies and release them into the market.
Many breeding centers operate without licenses or under weak oversight, frequently impregnating dogs to produce a large number of puppies in a short time.
Only some puppies are sold; the rest, often weak, sick, or unsold, are abandoned on the streets, adding to the street dog population.
Prices for dogs vary based on breed quality. While high-quality breeds are bred and sold, many breeders neglect the care of dogs, discarding them onto the streets once they grow old or get sick.
Failing to comply with animal welfare standards results in genetically weak, diseased, or unvaccinated dogs being produced in excess. When these dogs reach the streets, they pose a greater risk of spreading rabies and other diseases, increasing government health expenses.
Puppies are sold at a very young age without proper registration such as microchipping and vaccination records, making tracking impossible. Consequently, abandoned or lost dogs frequently end up on the streets.
Sterilization efforts mostly focus on street dogs, while there is little to no control over dogs coming from breeding centers, which keeps the influx of new dogs high and undermines the effectiveness of sterilization programs.
This creates a dangerous cycle: uncontrolled breeding centers increase the street dog population by continuously supplying new dogs, forcing the government to spend millions on sterilization and rabies control each year.
International Standards for Breeding Centers
Globally, strict standards apply to dog breeding centers, aiming to ensure animal welfare, prevent uncontrolled breeding, and reduce public health risks.
Countries such as the US, UK, and Australia require government licenses to operate breeding centers. For example, the UK’s Animal Welfare Act 2006 mandates local registration of all dog breeding businesses.
Rules include limited breedings per female dog, minimum intervals between breedings, and prohibitions on breeding from dogs below or above certain ages.
According to World Organisation for Animal Health standards, breeding centers must be clean, safe, and spacious, providing proper food, water, and veterinary care. Sick dogs must receive immediate treatment.
Pre-breeding health checks are mandatory, especially for genetic diseases. Puppies are sold with required vaccinations, health certificates, and sometimes microchips.
Many countries prohibit selling puppies younger than 6 to 8 weeks. Buyers must receive care instructions, vaccination records, and legal documents. Each dog’s birth, vaccination, disease, and sale details are registered through microchips or registration numbers for easy identification if lost.
Government bodies conduct regular inspections and impose penalties such as fines, license revocations, or dog confiscation if standards are violated. Several countries in America and Europe also campaign vigorously against inhumane commercial production centers.
Breeders Are Producing and Selling Dogs from Their Homes
By Bina Pant, Animal Rights Activist and Chairperson of ASPCA Nepal
Breeders and breeding centers produce and sell puppies in extremely poor conditions and abandon elderly or sick dogs on the streets. A few years ago, several dogs were found in pitiable conditions by riverside locations in the Jadbudi area across multiple sites.
Currently, local governments are beginning to require permits for operating breeding centers, but in Kathmandu Metropolitan City Ward No. 3, some individuals breed and sell dogs directly from their homes with only one or two dogs.
Many breeders do not register with local authorities, and ward offices show little concern.
Breeding Centers Abandon Elderly and Sick Dogs to the Streets
By Bishwaram Karki, Chairperson of Sara Animal Rescue Center Nepal
Local governments spend millions on dog sterilization and rabies vaccinations annually, yet street dog numbers do not decrease. Dogs abandoned from breeding centers contribute to this growing population.
Breed dogs from breeding centers crossbreed with street dogs, making control more difficult. Although local governments require breeding centers to be registered, many remain unregistered or evade regular inspections.
Our observations found extremely poor conditions in these centers: inadequate food, expired medicines, elderly dogs abandoned after giving birth, and sick puppies left on the streets.
While some breeding centers may uphold better practices, most have such issues. As purebred dogs increase, so do numbers of breed and crossbreed street dogs. Pet breed dogs also sometimes end up on the streets for various reasons.
We continuously raise awareness on this issue and demand strict enforcement of registration, monitoring, and standards for breeding centers.
Keeping Many Dogs in Breeding Centers Is Not Advisable
By Mukund Baniya, President of Nepal Dog Canine Association
Breeding centers must register at the local ward level and may join our association as members.
Operating breeding centers is not illegal in Nepal. Through our association, we educate and monitor members on best practices.
Breeders are knowledgeable and experienced. Those who import dogs from abroad or India at a high cost rarely abandon dogs on the street.
We treat street dogs and breed dogs equally.
Keeping a large number of dogs in breeding centers is neither economically nor practically sound. We advise real breeders to keep no more than five to seven dogs due to the cost of meat and dog food.
We do not believe the increase of breed and elderly street dogs is primarily due to breeders abandoning them.
Mistreatment in Breeding Centers Violates the Law
By Senior Advocate Padma Bahadur Shrestha
Breeding centers operate commercially by raising dogs and selling puppies, then discarding elderly or sick dogs onto the streets.
Section 27 of the 2017 Muluki Criminal Code prohibits cruelty to animals including beating, overloading, forced running, torturing sick or injured animals, or abandoning them on the street.
Section 289 stipulates imprisonment of up to three years and fines up to NPR 50,000 for injuries caused in cattle sheds.
The Solution Is Simple
Breeding centers must immediately be required to obtain licenses. When issuing licenses, authorities should strictly check infrastructure, capital, manpower, and animal welfare standards, said the senior advocate.
Clear limits must be established on how often dogs can be bred annually, minimum ages at which puppies can be sold, and breeding intervals. The practice of selling very young puppies, overusing mother dogs, and abandoning dogs should be declared illegal.
Until breeding centers are regulated, government spending on sterilization and rabies control will not be effective. Controlling this issue is vital for the welfare of animals and public health alike.
