Every morning as Kathmandu wakes, street dogs stretch out of alleys, temple courtyards, and construction sites. They belong to everyone and no one. But behind their wagging tails and familiar faces is a silent struggle for survival of hunger, accidents, mistreatment, and the deadly threat of rabies.

The story follows the life of one street dog—Tommy, a few years back, he used to live in my locality. Local shopkeepers fed him scraps, but no one knows his age or where he came from. He used to live in front of my house where he felt safe. One day, Tommy gets into a fight with a pack from a nearby area, and a small wound goes unnoticed. Within days, his behaviour changes—he becomes restless, aggressive, and later disappears. One day while returning from school, we learned he was taken by some people in the van. His story reflects what happens to thousands of strays each year.

The numbers tell a serious story. According to Nepal in data report, Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) data from 2016 estimated around 30,000 stray dogs roaming the city. By 2018, veterinary doctors noted that this number had increased, citing the lack of government measures to manage the population. The World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) reported in 2019 that Nepal had a total dog population of over 2.7m, of which approximately 2m were community or stray dogs and estimates for Kathmandu specifically range from 19,000 to over 30,000.

Animal Nepal (2022 report) shows that they have sterilized 1,968 dogs across Lalitpur, Kirtipur, Mahagadhimai, Lumbini, and Nepalgunj, treated 1,892 dogs in Kathmandu Valley and Lumbini for injuries and illnesses, vaccinated 3,337 dogs against rabies in multiple districts and facilitated adoption for 24 rescued dogs.

Voice of Animal Nepal (VOAN) (2024 report) notes that they have rescued and cared for over 1,350 injured, abandoned, or abused animals, sterilized over 100 dogs and cats in Kathmandu and nearby districts, and vaccinated 450 animals against rabies in partnership with local authorities. It has also estimated 22,000 street dogs throughout Kathmandu Valley.
Despite Nepal’s commitment to eliminate dog-mediated human rabies deaths by 2030, the reality on the ground paints a different picture.

Vaccine shortages, inadequate dog population management, misinformation, and deeply ingrained social stigma toward street dogs continue to hamper progress. Coordinated surveillance is minimal, meaning no reliable data exists on how many dogs are vaccinated, sterilized, or suffering from disease.

Legally, municipalities are responsible for managing street dogs, yet many lack the resources or rely on outdated practices like poisoning, despite legal bans. Consequently, dogs are often blamed and harmed instead of being protected or vaccinated. Fear and misinformation lead to killings, cruelty, and public apathy. Some neighbourhoods feed and care for dogs, while others throw stones or poison them. Public attitudes directly shape the fate of street dogs.

At the same time, NGOs, veterinarians, activists, and youth volunteers continue to make a difference. They run sterilization camps, vaccinate dogs, rescue the injured, and advocate for humane treatment.

Rupa Adhikari, a member of VOAN, explains the challenges on the ground, “Rabies vaccinations are provided by municipalities, and we collaborate with them. The vaccinations come from the government, and we help to administer them.

On a daily basis, we vaccinate 100–150 dogs. The government has been more helpful than before, but their interest is limited. They complain about a lack of budget. Often, they prefer to collaborate with private entities rather than NGOs. Even when we collaborate, vaccinations are conducted only in open areas, not narrow streets or densely populated localities.”

Adhikari highlighted that there is no proper implementation or legal threat for those who abuse animals. “In one case, an owner beat a dog, but the police showed little interest. We try to intervene, but sometimes, due to lack of evidence, we can’t do much. Many people think ‘they are just dogs,’ and that mindset is a major challenge.”

Advocates stress the need for a comprehensive legal framework and stronger government commitment. While police sometimes support animal welfare cases, widespread indifference continues to hinder progress.

Roman Raghu Shrestha, a veterinarian and surgeon at the Kathmandu Animal Treatment Centre (KAT), said, “We work on animal birth control surgeries, and we regularly vaccinate any animals brought to us. In the areas where we have worked—Tokha Municipality and Budhanilkantha Municipality—the estimated dog populations are 1,200–1,500 and 2,000–2,500 respectively. These figures are tentative, as the data vary between institutions and are recorded by the municipalities.”

In terms of awareness, they run programs in about 30 schools and colleges, reaching students from grade six up to the bachelor’s level. However, when it comes to policy, it has not been revised for a long time. The policies remain unchanged since their early introduction, and the resulting actions have been very limited.

“We do collaborate with the government on different campaigns. But regarding the rabies vaccine tracking system—an app designed to keep records, I didn’t feel comfortable using it, so we decided not to use it,” Shrestha said.

At the ministry level, officials acknowledge both the efforts made and the challenges ahead. Indira Sharma, veteran and information officer at the Department of Livestock Services, described the government’s approach, “We collaborate with everyone and engage with NGOs from time to time. They focus more on community welfare and advocacy, and we engage with them in policy-making and decision-making processes. Sometimes NGOs expect financial support which the government can’t provide at the moment.”

Sharma said that for legal punishment of animal abuse, the government is not directly responsible; local ministries look after these cases.”

She highlighted that for the 2030 rabies elimination goal, they follow “One Health” approach in collaboration with the Health Ministry adding, “We are working on Animal Birth Control Surgery at provincial and district hospitals to manage dog populations and running awareness programs by distributing pamphlets and posters, as well as using online campaigns via ministry websites and Facebook pages to educate communities.”

“The ministry is also engaged in policy development, working on regulations and guidelines to strengthen animal welfare. Disease surveillance is another key focus, with rabies prevalence monitored across animals through sample testing, supported by regional labs such as the Dhangadi Veterinary Lab,” she added.
Additionally, in fiscal year 2024/25, the government provided 154,000 doses of rabies vaccines, while private sectors imported more to supplement vaccination coverage. However, she noted challenges, “There is no dedicated budget for vaccination or animal welfare and collaboration with NGOs lacks a clear mechanism. As a ministry, we cannot reach everywhere, and that is a major problem.”

Nepal has more than half a million street dogs, yet many municipalities lack proper sterilization, vaccination programs, or shelters. Rabies, a 100 percent preventable disease, still claims lives every year—mostly among children in low-income communities. Lack of sterilization leads to unmanageable numbers of puppies, many of whom die from disease, starvation, or accidents.

Only a fraction of street dogs receive anti-rabies vaccines, and post-exposure treatment remains inaccessible to many.
The struggle of Kathmandu’s street dogs is a reflection of systemic gaps and the complex interplay between humans and animals.

Yet amidst this grim reality, the work of NGOs, veterinarians, and volunteers provides hope, illustrating that with coordinated effort, compassion, and policy support, the lives of street dogs and the safety of communities can be significantly improved.