Baglung Municipality opens dog hostel for community and stray dogs

Baglung – Baglung Municipality has started managing community and stray dogs by providing them with residential facilities. The municipality has established a ‘dog hostel’ to begin the rescue of these dogs.

With increasing problems caused by community dogs in Baglung Bazaar, the municipality has undertaken sustainable management by arranging land and constructing a playground for the dogs. In the first phase, the municipality has accommodated 20 stray, sick, and disabled community dogs in the hostel, which has a capacity for 50 dogs. The hostel, built on five ropanis of land in Baglung Municipality-3, was constructed with a budget of NPR 10 million, including fencing and provisions for staff and food for the dogs, according to Mitra Prasad Sapkota, head of the municipality’s animal branch.

The hostel was built on five ropanis of public land in Simle, Baglung Municipality-3, with NPR 3.5 million from the municipality and NPR 6.5 million from the Chief Minister’s Office. Two years ago, the municipality had set a target in its policies and programs to construct a dog hostel for the management of community dogs.

“Sterilization of dogs is also being carried out, and there is a plan to manage stray dogs with food and shelter in the hostel,” said Mayor Basanta Kumar Shrestha. “The hostel was constructed because the practice of abandoning pet dogs when they fall ill leads to problems such as dogs biting travelers and causing accidents in the market.”

The municipality has made it mandatory to register pet dogs. It has also arranged for the identification of dogs and the provision of medicines and vaccines. The animal branch stated that if a registered dog is found on the street, the homeowner will be held responsible. A registration fee of NPR 200 is required.