Bahrain is rabies-free yet alarm over increasing stray attacks

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain is rabies-free and there have been many decades since the last case was reported, according to Health Ministry sources.

The assurance comes amid new concerns over increased reports of stray attacks from across Bahrain.

Stray attacks have been reported from all governorates, except the Southern, with hotspots being Gudaibiya, Askar, LuLu Road in Salmaniya, Nuwaidrat, Sitra, Sanad and Tubli.

Sources say the Capital Governorate is the most affected and the victims are mainly night shift workers, who tread to their homes late nights on foot.

Speaking to The Daily Tribune, Fathiya Al Bastaki, a passionate Bahraini animal lover and Bahrain Strays founder, said increasing awareness along with spaying and neutering remains the only solution to fix the issue.

She said killing stray dogs is not at all a humane solution and is just an uncivilised act.

“The country started its Catch-Neuter-Release (CNR) programme two years ago to control the overpopulation and that was a good step, which everyone appreciated. But sadly, this process has been stopped now for almost a year although the residents didn’t stop from complaining,” she said.

“The cleaning company later dumped dogs in Askar without spaying or neutering. My group and I had to do a lot of hard work to catch some females and transport them to clinics for spaying.

Stray dogs in Askar never bothered Asian workers and no one also complained about it.

“Two weeks ago, we were shocked when we came to know that there was a decision to get rid of strays from Askar as we found dead bodies in some areas. They were shot and the bodies were buried, but partially. We don’t know why the dogs were shot to death? No one had complaints in that area.

“It’s inhuman to kill innocent animals, which caused no harm to anyone there, and what is weird is that, how could they decide to kill dogs that were already spayed and neutered?

“There are over 1,000 stray dogs in Askar, where the ministry has been dumping them for the past four years. Many of them have gotten killed in car accidents. There are no residential areas in that locality.

“Strays will never attack anyone who completely ignores them since they are territorial beings.

If you don’t stare at them, they would at best bark and leave you. Barking is just a form of threatening to protect their territories.

Don’t bother about them, they won’t attack you if you are minding your own business.”

Fathiya said neutering and spaying remain the only solution to fix the issue.

“I along with a group of volunteers have been spaying and neutering for over eight years now.

The Works Ministry started it in 2020 and it has not been there for the past year.

“We have been taking the spaying process forward after receiving support from Her Highness Shaikha Noora bin Hamad Al Khalifa. Rehabilitation is not a practical solution as we have thousands of them.”

She said there is no need to raise concern over “rabies infection” as there are no cases in Bahrain.

However, she highlighted the need to bring the canine distemper situation under control, saying: “Unless all pups are vaccinated with two doses, we can’t bring the situation under control.

We can’t do it for the strays.”

It is learnt that the Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Ministry has given the contract to Black Gold Company for catching strays to carry out the CNR programme and control the population. Concerned individuals can give a ring at 17155363, 80008001 or 38099994. Harming animals including stray dogs is a legal offence in Bahrain, which can attract fines and jail terms.