- There are approximately 362 million homeless dogs and cats in the world, of which 143 million are street dogs, often suffering from hunger, disease and persecution.
- In some Asian countries, dogs end up in the dog meat trade, while in others, such as Türkiye and Morocco, authorities resort to mass trapping or killing.
- However, there are countries, such as the Netherlands or Bhutan, that effectively and humanely solve the problem of animal homelessness through sterilization and vaccination.
- Get to know the ranking of the best and worst countries for homeless dogs and find out how you can help fight for their better fate!
It is estimated that there are almost 362 million homeless dogs and cats in the world, of which 143 million are dogs living on the streets. The lives of these animals can be extremely difficult because they struggle with hunger, untreated diseases and injuries, and are cruelly persecuted by poisoning, eliminating them or trapping them in shelters with terrible conditions. In some Asian countries, they are also taken from the streets and placed in farms for dog meat or go straight to slaughterhouses.
Here’s our ranking of the five best and five worst countries in the world for stray dogs.
5 worst countries for homeless dogs
Türkiye: Until recently, Türkiye was perceived as one of the countries where there was improvement in the humane treatment of stray dogs. However, a new law, introduced in 2024, requires the capture of approximately 4 million homeless dogs and their mass confinement in shelters, which often ends with their euthanasia or death due to the terrible conditions prevailing there. In Turkey, animal lovers protested against this law, and the main opposition party announced its repeal in court. For now, there is no indication that the dogs’ situation will improve.
Morocco: Morocco is currently implementing a program of killing or “culling” stray dogs before the FIFA World Cup in 2030. The country has often resorted to cruelly eliminating dogs from the streets ahead of previous sporting events, despite protests from animal rights activists.
China: China is still the world’s largest center for the dog meat trade. It is estimated that 10 million dogs each year – both homeless and free-roaming – are taken off the streets and killed for meat. Although most people in China do not eat dog meat, dogs across the country remain vulnerable to violence by people involved in the dog meat trade.
Pakistan: In Pakistan, especially in cities such as Karachi, where rabies is a serious problem, mass killing of dogs is practiced, often using poison. Although there have been promises to launch a vaccination drive, killing dogs is still a common practice.
Egypt: Stray dogs have been treated cruelly in this country for a long time. Egyptian city authorities periodically carry out strychnine poisoning or dog shooting. Many Egyptians feed and care for stray animals, and the government recently pledged support for a 180-day campaign that includes more humane strategies, including sterilization, to achieve rabies-free status by 2030. However, the question remains to what extent we can talk about lasting change.
5 best countries for homeless dogs
Indie: India’s high position in the ranking is the result of significant improvement in recent years – the number of municipalities using the method of humane and effective management of the dog population based on the principle of catching-sterilization-vaccination-release has increased. This situation may change, however, as the Delhi High Court will soon decide whether to abandon this approach and return to the cruel and ineffective method of mass trapping and placing in shelters where the conditions are outrageous and the dog has little chance of survival.
Mexico: the 2024 amendment to the constitution recognizes animal protection as a fundamental value. It gives the government new powers to legislate on animal welfare and mandates education in schools across the country. Although stray dogs in Mexico can be exposed to cruelty and neglect, many are cared for by social workers, and decades of vaccination campaigns mean that cases of rabies are rare. Additionally, the government conducts spaying and neutering campaigns in all states. Although there is still much to do, the situation is definitely improving.
Netherlands: the first country in the world to virtually eliminate street homelessness of dogs, thanks to decades of action including mandatory registration and microchipping of dogs, stringent animal protection laws including high fines for abandoning pets of up to €16,000, extensive campaigns to promote dog adoption by local authorities, the introduction of a tax on the purchase of dogs, and keeping the number of homeless animals in shelters low.
Bhutan: Thanks to the commitment of the authorities and the implementation of the “capture-sterilization-vaccination-release” program with Humane World for Animals, Bhutan has achieved an impressive 100 percent sterilization and vaccination rate of free-roaming dogs. Since the start of the project, over 150,000 stray dogs have been successfully sterilized and vaccinated, and 32,000 companion dogs have been microchipped.
Thailand: Thailand is home to a large population of free-roaming dogs, but the country has largely rejected mass killing as a strategy to control it. Shared feeding and care of stray dogs is also culturally determined due to Buddhist values, which means that many free-living dogs benefit from various forms of care. Buddhist temples offer safe shelter, food and shelter for homeless dogs. Authorities and animal welfare organizations have invested heavily in vaccination and sterilization programs, leading Thailand to become one of the first countries in Asia to eliminate rabies, which is transmitted from dogs to humans.
The lives of dogs and cats on the streets vary depending on the country and its culture. Often, free-roaming dogs and cats are actually pets or are fed by community caregivers. Regardless of whether they are pets, animals receiving certain forms of care, or strays, they can all be exposed to inhumane treatment. The countries with the best results are those that have rejected killing to control their populations and have instead adopted humane sterilization, vaccination programs and the release of vaccinated and sterilized dogs as a proven and compassionate way to keep their populations and health in check. Our work around the world proves that the most empathetic methods are also the most effective
– emphasizes Iga Głażewska-Bromant, director of Humane World for Animals in Poland.
What can you do on Homeless Animals Day?
and demand that it force Morocco to stop its mass dog killing program before the World Cup.
Support local animal shelters.
Adopt dogs from shelters instead of buying dogs from breeders.
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