An estimated 200 million stray dogs live globally, experiencing significant suffering from disease, injury, and human persecution. Evidence-based management prioritises humane population control and disease prevention.
Stray dog welfare is an urgent global challenge — the suffering of 200 million animals from disease, injury, starvation, and conflict with humans represents an enormous welfare burden. Lethal control methods are both cruel and ineffective — culled populations are rapidly replenished through immigration and increased reproduction. Evidence consistently supports humane population management through TNR combined with rabies vaccination, community education, and expanded responsible ownership. These approaches achieve stable or declining stray dog populations while reducing rabies risk and improving individual dog welfare. International organisations and national governments increasingly recognise humane dog management as a public health and animal welfare co-benefit strategy.