THE NETHERLANDS SOLVES STRAY DOG PROBLEM

THE NETHERLANDS SOLVES STRAY DOG PROBLEM

Imagine this: a whole country with no stray dogs on the streets. No packs roaming at night. No hungry puppies in drainage canals. No rabid bites blamed on “asong gala.” Hard to believe—but this is now the reality in the Netherlands, the first country in the world to have effectively eliminated stray dogs.

So I ask: what kind of country can do that? Only “civilized” countries? But if that is true, why does animal cruelty still exist even in many so-called civilized nations? And why, closer to home, is dog meat consumption still quietly tolerated in some areas of the Philippines?

According to international animal welfare reports, the Dutch success did not come from magic. It came from discipline, compassion, and strong governance. The backbone of their strategy was mass sterilization, known as the Collect, Neuter, Vaccinate, and Return (CNVR) program. Dogs were not culled—they were spayed, neutered, vaccinated, and responsibly returned or adopted. The result: no uncontrolled breeding, no explosion of stray populations.

This was reinforced by strict animal welfare laws. Abandoning or abusing a dog carries heavy penalties. In short, in the Netherlands, owning a pet is a legal responsibility, not just an emotional choice. Add to that their high adoption culture, well-funded shelters, and even taxes on dog ownership and breeding to discourage irresponsible pet keeping.

But perhaps the most powerful factor is culture. In Dutch cities, you will see dogs in bike baskets, under café tables, and even on public transport. Dogs are not treated as pests. They are treated as family.

Globally, the contrast is brutal. The World Health Organization estimates that there are over 200 million stray dogs worldwide. The Netherlands has virtually zero.

Now the uncomfortable question: what can the Philippines learn from this? We actually already have laws—such as the Animal Welfare Act (RA 8485, as amended by RA 10631)—but enforcement is weak, budgets are thin, and coordination among LGUs is often absent. We wait for complaints. We react after bites. We conduct occasional round-ups. Then the problem returns.

And let us be honest: the stray dog issue is not only about animal rights. It is also a public health issue. Rabies is still present in the Philippines. Many dog bite victims are poor people who cannot afford the expensive post-exposure vaccines. What is the long-term plan of the government for them—keep paying for emergency treatment instead of preventing the problem at its root?

I am personally against euthanasia as a mass solution. Killing dogs does not solve overpopulation. Sterilization does. Education does. Accountability does.

Yes, LGUs face many urgent concerns—flooding, garbage, crime, hunger. But does that mean compassion must always be postponed? If the Netherlands could integrate animal welfare into its governance system, why can’t we even make it a serious local policy priority?

So here is my challenge:
Why can’t our cities launch nationwide, sustained, and funded CNVR programs?
Why can’t we strictly penalize abandonment?
Why can’t adoption be the norm instead of buying puppies online?

The Dutch model proves one powerful truth: the stray dog crisis is not solved by elimination—it is solved by responsibility.

And responsibility, in the end, is not imported.
It is chosen.

RAMON IKE V. SENERES

www.facebook.com/ike.seneres iseneres@yahoo.com senseneres.blogspot.com 09088877282/09-22-2026