The Sri Lanka Animal Welfare Association has raised alarm over the rising street dog population, now estimated at between two and three million, with around 250,000 dog bite cases reported annually.

Champa Fernando, Secretary of the Kandy Association for Community Protection through Animal Welfare (KACPAW), warned that the situation is “a ticking time bomb,” blaming poor use of allocated funds for sterilization programs.

She noted that while Rs. 184 million was budgeted last year for dog population control, only Rs. 27 million was spent. 

Fernando urged the government to introduce a national dog registration system and called for public support in sterilization efforts, emphasizing that shelters alone cannot solve the crisis.