Health Ministry yet to act on dog population control, veterinarian warns

Colombo, July 1 (Daily Mirror) - Despite six months having passed, the Health Ministry has failed to take proper action to control the growing dog population in the country, a leading veterinary expert claimed today.

Dr. Chamith Nanayakkara, Advisor to the Association of Veterinarians for Humane Management of Animal Population, told the Daily Mirror that although the Ministry continues to maintain its stance on managing the issue, no sterilisation programme has been implemented so far this year.

“Dogs typically give birth twice a year, and the first breeding cycle for 2024 has already added a significant number of new dogs to the population. This reflects the inability of the Health Ministry to act in time,” Dr. Nanayakkara said.

He noted that the Ministry is expected to call for tenders for sterilisation services, a process which could take another two months, risking the possibility of no government-run sterilisation programme taking place this year.

Dr. Nanayakkara pointed out the urgent need to hand over the sterilisation programme to the Department of Animal Production and Health (DAPH), which employs 600 skilled veterinary surgeons islandwide. 

“Unfortunately, the Health Ministry has failed to properly utilise these resources due to a lack of planning and poor management of both sterilisation and vaccination programmes,” he added.

The government allocated Rs. 200 million for sterilisation initiatives in the 2025 Budget, yet none of these funds have been disbursed so far. Dr. Nanayakkara pointed out that in 2024, while a similar allocation was approved, only Rs. 100 million was utilised and the remaining funds were left unused.

Meanwhile, complaints have been mounting about an increase in stray dogs even within hospital premises. In contrast, animal welfare organisations have conducted at least 23,000 sterilisation surgeries over the past six months. Though valuable, Dr. Nanayakkara said these independent efforts alone are insufficient to curb the country’s rapidly growing dog population.

He said that at least 100,000 sterilisation surgeries must be carried out annually to control the issue and prevent future risks of rabies outbreaks and mass dog culling.

“The government and the Health Ministry must urgently recognise the seriousness of the situation and take responsibility. We are still waiting for a proper response and action from them,” Dr. Nanayakkara added.