30 Countries Where Stray Dogs Roam the Streets

1. Morocco

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Stray dogs are a common sight in Morocco – even in the capital of Marrakech. It’s not unusual for stray dogs to halt traffic and cause jams, which means some locals can resent them. In fact, there are claims that Morocco is killing tons of its stray dogs as it awaits FIFA’s decision on the country’s World Cup bid.

2. The USA

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It might surprise you, but the USA actually has the most stray dogs in the world. It’s estimated that there are 75-80 million stray animals wandering around – and about half of that number are thought to be dogs. However, with so many charities and rescue organizations, lots of dogs are found happy homes.

3. Brazil

(Image/ Source: newsweek.com)

Brazil is estimated to be home to over 36 million stray dogs – so it’s no great surprise that it has a bit of a street dog problem. 50% of the population has a dog, but there are big concerns over strays. Many people are trying to help the safety and wellbeing of these animals through charities.

4. Japan

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Japan might not be the first country you think of when you think of stray dogs, but it actually has over 12 million of these animals. However, the government is currently cracking down on this problem, and is trying to get the population lowered by creating shelters and loving homes for them.

5. Russia

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There’s a huge wealth gap in Russia, and stray dogs tend to live in harmony with those in poorer areas. There are said to be about 15 million street dogs in Russia, but some believe the real number is much higher than this. Not many people can now afford to offer a home to a dog.

6. China

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As China is one of the biggest countries in the world, it’s no great surprise that it’s home to millions of stray dogs - 27 million in fact. China has more rules about street dogs than other countries, but people are allowed to feed them and care for them – just like this woman, who feeds over 1,300 strays each day.

7.  India

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It’s thought that about ten million strays are currently wandering around India. Most people have accepted street dogs, and will try and feed them if they can. However, as many millions of people live in poverty, they just can’t afford to keep one in their home.

8. The Philippines

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The Philippines might not have as many stray dogs as other countries (11 million) but this country tends to struggle with rabies-related deaths. To tackle the problem of street dogs, the government is now looking to train these animals as emotional support dogs.

9. Argentina

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Argentina is home to around nine million street dogs – and six million are thought to be in Buenos Aires alone. As there have been instances of dogs attacking people in packs, some fear them, but others are trying to set up charities to help these animals.

10. Romania

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While Romania has a lot fewer strays than other countries (4 million), people tend to kill them rather than tackling the problem head-on. As such, there are a lot of countries in Europe that are attempting to rescue street dogs from Romania and find them a loving home.

11. France

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France is yet another country with a stray dog problem. There are millions of them! While some will try and find them shelter and a home, like charities and rescue operations, the government has other ideas. Many of these animals will be rounded up and euthanized.

12. Greece

(Image/ Source: straysofgreece.org)

Street dogs are everywhere in Greece. There is no government body that takes responsibility for animal welfare, so a lot of charities have been set up to protect stray dogs from harm. Unfortunately though, there are so many street dogs that there just aren’t enough resources to save all of them.

13. Cyprus

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Just like its neighbor Greece, Cyprus is also struggling with homeless dogs. Many people will simply kick them out of their home, or will abandon them if they can’t afford to pay vet bills. Charities are now looking for help from other European countries.

14. Egypt

(Image/ Source: dogstodaymagazine.co.uk)

Egypt has tons of stray dogs, and is well-known for its mistreatment of animals. There are almost zero animal cruelty laws, so street dogs often get poorly treated. Many are used for scientific research, and some actually get tortured by both adults and children alike.

15. Saudi Arabia

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Another country that doesn’t treat stray dogs very well is Saudi Arabia. They are generally considered to be ‘unclean’, so they’re not treated especially well by people. The few households that actually keep a dog as a pet must legally have them as ‘working’ animals.

16. Belarus

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Another country that doesn’t treat stray dogs very well is Saudi Arabia. They are generally considered to be ‘unclean’, so they’re not treated especially well by people. The few households that actually keep a dog as a pet must legally have them as ‘working’ animals.

17. Nigeria

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There are a fair few stray dogs in Nigeria, but unfortunately, a lot of them end up being killed and sold for meat. While activists are trying to protect them, hostility is high in some communities, as there have been numerous incidents of packs of strays biting and killing children.

18. Ethiopia

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Lots of strays roam the streets in Ethiopia – especially in the capital of Addis Ababa, which has actually ended up exterminating dogs in a bid to lower the population and bring rabies cases down. It’s estimated that there are over 500 cases of rabies in Addis Ababa each year.

19. Myanmar

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Myanmar has a big stray dog problem, which is a result of people failing to spay and neuter their pets. There are thousands and thousands of street dogs in the country, and while they’re mostly harmless, they can still end up spreading disease in poorer areas.

20. Azerbaijan

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Azerbaijan is yet another country that takes a more brutal approach to controlling its stray dog problem. In the capital of Baku, thousands of stray dogs are collected off the streets, and they’re then taken to the outskirts of the city where they’re shot.

21. Algeria

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Just like in neighbouring Morocco, stray dogs are an all-too-common problem. Packs of stray dogs have been known to attack children, so the government is now rounding up and culling these street animals. However, animal rights groups are calling for a more humane way to deal with the issue.

22. Iran

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Stray dog attacks have been on the rise in Iran, which has resulted in a heated debate on how to deal with the problem. While activists are trying to create shelters for these animals, there’s a growing number of people who want to see street dogs culled.

23. Indonesia

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Indonesia’s street dog problem has continued to worsen over the years – especially in Bali. The few shelters that have been housing strays have struggled to stay open thanks to the pandemic, with many closing their doors as food costs rise. The government has largely ignored the efforts of animal rights charities.

24. Vietnam

(Image/ Source: nbcnews.com)

Vietnam is the worst place in the world for dog ownership. There are thousands of street dogs, high levels of rabies, and a lack of legislation for animal welfare. In fact, the vast majority of stray dogs actually get killed for meat, and there are now ‘dog snatchers’ that steal family pets to sell to butchers.

25. Niger

(Image/ Source: npr.com)

Niger is another country that doesn’t exactly treat stray dogs well. Not only does it have a high population of street dogs, but it also kills these animals too. There are also very few veterinarians in this country, so dogs end up with tons of health issues like rabies.

26. South Korea

(Image/ Source: koreaherald.com)

Thousands of dogs end up getting abandoned in South Korea. Some people will leave their dogs at a shelter overnight, while others will actually throw their pets out of car windows in an effort to get rid of them. However, there are some activists who try and take in as many dogs as they can to save them from mistreatment.

27. Australia

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In Australia, there are an estimated 80,000 homeless dogs. However, most of these dogs are in shelters rather than on the streets, as there are plenty of laws and shelters that focus on animal welfare. That being said, some strays will still be found in poorer towns and communities.

28. Thailand

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Thailand has around 800,000 stray animals, with half of them dogs. It’s estimated that this is about an eighth of the canine population in the whole country. This is because many owners fail to sterilize their pets, and end up abandoning them when they no longer serve a purpose or can be cared for.

29. The Netherlands

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The Netherlands is the first country in the world without any stray dogs whatsoever. They have tons of strict animal rights laws, where abusing an animal can result in a three-year prison sentence and a fine of €16,750. They also have a super dog-friendly culture.

30. The UK

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Like the USA, the UK organizes tons of rescue missions to help street dogs in other countries. There aren’t many strays on the streets, as they’re quickly picked up by charities and animal welfare bodies and taken to shelters. That being said, there are still about 100,000 dogs without homes.