Lhakpa Quendren
Gelephu—The decade-long healthcare burden associated with dog bites and rabies in the country is finally showing steady improvement following the completion of nationwide sterilisation of free-roaming dogs.
Close to 550 dog bites were reported last year, compared to the annual average of 7,000 incidents. With a total population of 782,455, this amounts to about 70 bites per 100,000 people each year, which is a decrease from the previous average of 895 bites per 100,000 people.
Most communities, both rural and urban, have reported a drastic decrease in free-roaming dog nuisances, noise pollution from barking, and threats of dog bites, livestock attacks, and feral dog issues, according to the livestock department.
Speaking to Kuensel, Agriculture and Livestock Minister Younten Phuntsho said the streets were now safer for the public, tourists, and school children, with reduced nuisance from free-roaming dogs improving overall hygiene and sanitation. “The sterilised dogs are generally docile, less aggressive, and friendly.”
“Today, you will not see stray puppies on the streets, and the issue of tourists being disturbed by noise nuisances at night has also decreased,” Lyonpo said, adding that the decrease in the free-roaming dog population has ensured better health and welfare for the existing dogs.
The government annually spends about Nu 9.3 million to provide human Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP), a preventive treatment given after potential exposure to rabies to prevent the virus from causing infection.
Crediting the successful implementation of the Nationwide Accelerated Dog Population Management and Rabies Control Programme to the leadership of His Majesty The King, Lyonpo thanked his predecessor, De-Suups, livestock officials, and others involved in the project for their commendable efforts.
Within two years of implementing this programme, 61,680 free-roaming dogs were sterilised, 32,544 pet dogs were registered and microchipped, and 61,331 dogs were vaccinated against rabies in high-risk areas.
The campaign, budgeted at Nu 295 million, was completed in October 2023 with 12,812 personnel, including 9,036 De-Suups.
Bhutan is the first country to sterilise its entire free-roaming dog population in a nationwide operation, as commanded by His Majesty the King. This achievement brings Bhutan closer to the global goal of eliminating dog-mediated human rabies by 2030.
The Livestock Rules and Regulations (2022) were amended to support the dog population management programme, including the development of a blueprint focused on a “whole-of-nation” approach and clear exit strategies.
This reduces the risk of rabies transmission, protecting both humans and animals. However, the cross-border movement of unsterilised and unvaccinated dogs continues to pose a threat, as current outbreaks of rabies in animals have been traced across the borders.
The dog population management initiative began in 2009 with Humane Society International (HSI) launching a pilot spay, neuter, and vaccination programme in Thimphu, which later expanded into the National Dog Population Management and Rabies Control Programme. Several government approaches in the past have failed due to sustainability issues and concerns about animal welfare.
The World Health Organisation estimates that rabies kills about 59,000 people annually, mostly due to dog bites. About 300 million street dogs in Asia face starvation, untreated diseases, injuries, and inhumane treatment.
Challenges during campaign
The implementation of the dog population management programme was not without challenges. The project, the first of its kind in the world, was implemented during the pandemic amidst movement restrictions that hindered the execution of planned activities.
Lyonpo Younten Phuntsho shared that the challenges were inevitable, given that the officials lacked lessons learned, prior knowledge, or experience for the programme implementation. “Everything was developed and implemented by our own people,” he added.
Lyonpo said that the sheer population of free-roaming dogs posed a significant challenge in terms of planning logistics and resources for the programme.
Another challenge was irresponsible pet dog ownership, which remains a major concern for effective dog population management in the country.
The livestock legislation lacked adequate rules and regulations governing responsible pet ownership and dog population management. This has prompted the implementation of additional measures for pet management, feeding of free-roaming dogs, and management of feral dogs.
Catching free-roaming dogs, particularly sensitive and elusive ones, reaching difficult terrains, remote and hard-to-access areas, and handling aggressive free-roaming dogs were some of the major challenges encountered during the campaign.
The Royal Society for Protection and Care of Animals and Jangsa Animal Saving Trust actively participated in addressing these issues. Shelters were established in Paro and Thimphu for aggressive dogs, later managed by Nakulu Shelter.
