OIPA ETS has addressed an urgent appeal to the Algerian authorities following the receipt of extensive documentation concerning municipal campaigns involving the killing of free-roaming dogs and, in some cases, cats across several areas of the country. The organization is calling for an immediate review of lethal control practices and for the adoption of humane, science-based solutions grounded in the One Health approach.
The documentation received by OIPA includes official municipal notices, public communications and supporting material concerning operations reported during 2025 and 2026 in municipalities located in the provinces of Tizi Ouzou, Bejaia, Boumerdes, Ouargla, Relizane, Tiaret, M’Sila, Ain Temouchent, Chlef and Khenchela.
Among the documents examined by OIPA, particular concern has been raised by an official notice issued in Ait Mahmoud, Tizi Ouzou Province, covering the period from 13 July to 13 August 2026. The notice explicitly refers to the killing of stray dogs and cats through a chemical method, namely poisoning.
Other municipal communications document operations carried out during nighttime hours and include instructions to residents to keep owned dogs and cats confined while the interventions take place.
In Chechar, Khenchela Province, an official municipal health notice scheduled repeated operations for 28 July and 4, 11 and 18 August 2026, between approximately 11 p.m. and 4 a.m. The communication also refers to the participation of a local hunting association, asks residents to report areas where stray animals are present and advises owners to secure their animals during the operations.
A further official communication issued by Khenchela Municipality on 9 August 2026 invited residents to identify locations where stray animals could be found, announcing that an intervention would take place during the same night.
Public health and animal welfare must be addressed together
OIPA fully recognises the responsibility of public authorities to protect communities from rabies and other zoonotic diseases and to respond effectively to the challenges associated with free-roaming dog populations.
However, repeated lethal campaigns do not address the underlying causes of stray-animal populations and cannot replace long-term prevention, veterinary care and responsible population-management strategies.
For this reason, OIPA is urging the Algerian authorities to move towards a comprehensive One Health approach, recognising the close interconnection between human health, animal health and the environment.
Effective rabies prevention and sustainable management of free-roaming animal populations should include measures such as mass vaccination of dogs against rabies, sterilisation, veterinary care, epidemiological surveillance, identification and responsible ownership, prevention of abandonment and community awareness.
The human-health dimension must also remain central. Timely access to rabies post-exposure prophylaxis for people who may have been exposed to the virus, particularly in higher-risk communities, is an essential element of an integrated prevention strategy.
Concerns over the use of poisoning
The reported use of poisoning is of particular concern.
In addition to the severe and potentially prolonged suffering that toxic substances may cause to animals, their release into the environment may pose risks to owned companion animals and non-target wildlife, including birds and wild mammals.
Such substances may also affect biodiversity and potentially expose wildlife species protected under national or international conservation frameworks, while creating broader environmental and public-safety concerns where hazardous substances are used in areas accessible to communities.
OIPA has therefore asked the competent Algerian authorities to clarify whether the use of toxic substances for stray-animal control is authorised under national legislation and, if so, under which legal, veterinary and public-health framework and subject to which safeguards.
OIPA calls for transparency and sustainable alternatives
In its institutional appeal, OIPA is calling on the Algerian authorities to immediately review the use of poisoning and other inhumane methods and to investigate the municipal operations documented in the material received.
The organization is also asking for greater transparency regarding the methods authorised and implemented during municipal interventions involving free-roaming animals.
OIPA encourages stronger cooperation between public-health authorities, veterinary services, municipalities, animal-welfare organizations and local communities, with the objective of developing solutions capable of protecting both people and animals.
The organization has also received material documenting significant public concern within Algeria, including rescue initiatives, animal-welfare advocacy and calls from citizens for humane alternatives to lethal control.
These concerns further highlight the importance of moving towards a comprehensive and sustainable national strategy for the management of free-roaming dogs and cats, rather than relying on repeated lethal campaigns.
Such a strategy should combine rabies prevention, veterinary intervention, population management, responsible ownership and public education while remaining consistent with internationally recognised animal-health and public-health approaches.
OIPA brings the case to international attention
Alongside the formal communication addressed to the competent Algerian authorities, OIPA has also brought the case to the attention of the United Nations in Algeria, sharing its concerns and the supporting documentation in order to encourage broader institutional attention to the issue.
The international communication has been framed around the One Health approach, emphasising the need to address rabies prevention and free-roaming animal population management through coordinated policies capable of protecting human health, animal health and the environment.
OIPA believes that constructive engagement among national authorities, veterinary and public-health institutions, international organizations and civil society can contribute to the development of more humane, effective and sustainable responses.
OIPA will continue to follow developments in Algeria and remains available for dialogue and cooperation with the competent authorities and relevant national and international stakeholders.
