The entire dog population in Sri Lanka is 03 million with most of them being raised as pets at homes, the Anti-Rabies unit of the Health Ministry states.
Consultant Community Physician – Dr. Athula Liyanapathirana says that vaccination and sterilization programmes of dogs are being continued.
He also emphasized that a census on the dog population of the country will be conducted in the near future and that it was illegal to kill dogs under current laws.
Meanwhile, animal welfare organizations have slammed a recent parliamentary statement of State Defence Minister – Premitha Bandara Tennakoon.
He had said that there are more than six million stray dogs in Sri Lanka and it was important to find solutions to the problem.
