There are millions of dogs all over the world living as strays. Both local and global organizations of all kinds have been working round the clock to fix this problem, but it’s proven to be a long, difficult and challenging process.
Holland is a wonderful exception though. Their government has given a great deal of effort into creating a solution for their national problem of stray dogs roaming around the country.
The effect has been amazing: Holland’s government has recently reported that there are zero stray dogs now in the country.
They were able to achieve this incredible result by creating a sterilization program, changing the tax laws and imposing stricter animal welfare laws. They took in every stray dog in the country to have them sterilized, they gave them vaccinations and needed medical attention. Sterilization is mandatory and free of charge for all stray dogs.
In order to encourage the citizens to adopt instead of shop, the government has raised all taxes when purchasing a breed dog. For this reason, it is more realistic to go to a dog shelter and adopt a new pet from there.
The government has also put into place stronger laws regarding animal welfare. It is now illegal to abandon, neglect, or treat your pets cruelly. If caught, these crimes are punishable by law for up to three years in prison, along with a 16,000 euro fine.
There is a special police division created solely for the purpose of animal cruelty and abandonment prevention.
During the 19th century, Holland’s stray dog population boomed because of a certain dog tax and a rabies epidemic amongst street dogs.
The government had implemented a dog tax to reduce the number of stray dogs, but lower class families also had no choice but to abandon their dogs which increased the number instead. Because of a high number of dogs living in the streets, a rabies outbreak occurred which led to a big number of deaths.
The rich owned many dogs at that time to show off their wealth and breeding, but the rabies epidemic instilled fear in these families, which also led them to abandon their own pets.
That is what ultimately spiked the number of stray dogs in the country, and finally, the problem has been rectified.
With the sterilization, higher taxes and stricter animal welfare lows, Holland is now stray dog free. Hopefully, this successful solution will lead as an example for other countries to follow, and the world can be a safer a warmer place for our furry friends.
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