jordan pulse -

The Parliamentary Labour, Social Development and Population Committee, chaired by MP Mutaz Abu Rumman, held an expanded meeting on Tuesday with Deputy Speaker MP Mohammad Al-Mara’ieh, Minister of Local Administration Walid Al-Masri, Minister of Environment Ayman Suleiman, Deputy Amman Mayor Ahmad Al-Malkawi, Interior Ministry representative Governor Ziad Al-Qatarneh, and representatives from the Agriculture Ministry, Princess Alia Foundation, and several animal welfare organisations. The meeting addressed the growing problem of stray dogs across the Kingdom, its impact on public safety, and proposed solutions to reduce related risks.

Abu Rumman said the spread of stray dogs has become a worrying phenomenon threatening citizens’ safety, noting that around 5,600 bite incidents have been recorded. He called for urgent, humane, and systematic action to address the issue while maintaining environmental balance.

He proposed a legal amendment granting JD5,000 compensation to anyone suffering a permanent disability or disfigurement due to a stray dog attack — a measure he said would ensure justice and push authorities to act responsibly.

He also stressed the need to establish shelters in every municipality, away from residential areas, to collect, sterilise, vaccinate, and tag dogs before relocating them to unpopulated zones. He called for qualified teams, proper equipment, and awareness campaigns to educate the public on prevention and safe interaction with stray animals.

Participating MPs — including Khamees Atiyeh, Bakr Al-Haysa, Firas Al-Qublan, Mohammad Al-Ghweiri, Ahmad Shdeifat, Samer Al-Azaideh, Jamil Al-Dahisat, Talal Al-Nsour, Abdul Raouf Al-Rabihat, Bayan Al-Mahsiri, Issa Nassar, Abdulrahman Al-Awaisheh, and Khader Bani Khalid — said the problem poses a serious threat to public safety and social stability, urging practical and sustainable solutions.

Minister of Local Administration Al-Masri presented the government’s three-year plan to tackle the issue through building shelters, collecting stray dogs, and providing veterinary care, with an initial 20 sites selected. He said implementation costs around JD70 per case and called on civil society to partner with municipalities.

Minister of Environment Suleiman said the phenomenon threatens the Kingdom’s ecological balance, while Governor Al-Qatarneh cited the successful models of Aqaba and Madaba in reducing stray dog numbers. Deputy Amman Mayor Al-Malkawi highlighted the municipality’s efforts in handling over 8,000 cases through shelters and sterilisation programmes.

Representatives of animal welfare groups, including Lana Dabbas from the Princess Alia Foundation and the Agriculture Ministry’s advisory committee, stressed adopting humane and scientific approaches instead of culling, noting that sterilisation programmes used in countries like India have proven effective. She explained that dangerous dogs may be humanely euthanised, while non-threatening ones should be sterilised and treated to maintain ecological balance.

In conclusion, Abu Rumman called for forming a national committee with government and civil society representatives, overseen by the parliamentary committee, to follow up on recommendations and submit proposals to the government. He stressed that protecting people and the environment is a shared national responsibility requiring firm commitment and institutional cooperation.