Last summer, WSPA's US office alerted its members to the ongoing problem of stray dog control in Cairo, Egypt. At that time, homeless dogs were routinely killed by gunshot in the city's notorious "one dog, one bullet" campaign. Dogs that were not killed instantly by the first shot were left to suffer where they lay. These methods are cruel and do little to decrease the overall population. WSPA members the world over joined in protesting this brutal and impermanent solution and urged the government to accept our help in implementing a humane stray control program.

Less than a year later, animal control officers in the Giza area of Cairo have put down their guns and have begun to learn new skills. Last month, WSPA veterinarians and field officers arrived in Egypt to conduct training for both animal control officers and government veterinarians. The dog handlers learned how to use catch poles and graspers that allow them to humanely capture and control scared and unsocialized dogs without fear of being bitten and possibly exposed to the rabies virus.

The veterinarians were trained in updated neutering techniques and procedures specific to working with street dogs that do not have the luxury of receiving follow up care from concerned pet owners. The workshops, held over several days, involved both classroom instruction and practical, hands-on demonstrations.

"It's one thing to talk about humanely handling dogs that have never been touched by humans before, and quite another to go out and do it. Our team traveled the streets of Giza with the animal control officers, showing them how to approach, catch and handle the dogs. We then transported the dogs back to the clinic where the government vets helped to examine, vaccinate and sterilize them before eventually releasing them back into their home territories again," said WSPA's Brian Faulkner, who participated in the training.

Cairo authorities have taken the preliminary steps towards a professional and humane animal control program, and Faulkner is "cautiously optimistic" that they will remain committed to this project. Currently, we are waiting for the Egyptian government to commit to a one-year budget for the pilot project. WSPA will then reciprocate by donating all necessary animal handling and veterinary supplies for the first year, as well as providing training.