Somali town poisons 400 stray dogs over disease fears

A Somali town has poisoned 400 stray dogs out of concern that they could spread diseases and kill livestocks.

An unnamed regional official said on the condition of anonymity on Monday in Mogadishu that the campaign was launched in Borama in the breakaway northern region of Somali land over the weekend.

He said during the campaign, residents were advised to kill dogs by giving them poisoned meat.

The official said the directive has become imperative because the streets are full of hundreds of dogs and there was fear of possible diseases.

“None of the dogs had been found to have rabies so far, but they were killing goats.

“Bodies of dogs were lying on the streets after about 400 of them were killed,’’ he said.

Meanwhile, the regional animal rights activists investigating the case have condemned the killings, saying there were no proofs that the dogs had diseases.