Around 30% of road accidents in Sri Lanka are caused by dogs, according to Dr. Chamith Nanayakkara, founder of the Association of Veterinarians for Humane Management of Animal Population.
Speaking at a media briefing in Colombo, Dr. Nanayakkara said approximately Rs. 1 billion is spent annually on rabies vaccinations for people bitten by dogs.
He said the growing stray dog population is placing a significant burden on the country’s economy and attributed the problem to irresponsible human behaviour, poor waste management and a lack of awareness of social responsibility.
Dr. Nanayakkara said improper disposal of waste provides stray animals with easy access to food, contributing to the growth of their population.
He identified proposed legislation on animal population management as a possible long-term solution. Under the proposed law, all owned dogs would be required to be registered with the relevant local authority.
The legislation would also assign responsibility for dogs without owners or caregivers to the respective local authorities. The government would then be responsible for vaccination and sterilisation programmes for such animals.
Dr. Nanayakkara described the proposed system as a positive step towards ensuring that no stray dog is left without care.
“These animals are not on the streets by choice. They are there because of people’s irresponsible actions and a lack of understanding of social responsibility,” he said.
He added that the annual cost of rabies vaccinations and the impact of dog-related road accidents demonstrate the need for urgent and effective animal population management.
