DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Authorities in Iraq’s capital Baghdad have killed over 19,000 stray dogs as part of a citywide campaign to curb their spread, state media reported on Monday, with animal rights activists routinely slamming Iraq for its treatment of stray animals. 

“Municipal departments carried out 1562 campaigns from January 1 to November 30, 2025, resulting in the extermination of 19,386 stray dogs in various areas of the capital,” Baghdad municipality spokesman Uday al-Jundail told state media. 

Jundail noted that the operations, in coordination with the interior ministry, are ongoing. “The interior ministry has been approached to assign specialized shooters,” he said. 

Iraq’s treatment of stray animals has triggered vast courage from animal rights activists. Welfare groups argue that mass culling is inhumane and ineffective, calling instead for vaccination, sterilization, and shelter programs, while officials and public safety advocates say lethal measures are necessary to contain the risk of diseases and protect residents. 

After the campaigns, the stray dogs are collected and transported to landfill sites near the capital, according to the municipality, with Jundail saying the number of the animals is “growing.” 

In Iraq, stray dogs are often stigmatized as “dirty” and considered a health and security risk. Laws to safeguard their lives are virtually nonexistent, with killings, beatings, and other forms of abuse remaining rife.