3 days ago
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- Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris has proposed exporting stray dogs instead of culling them, sparking a national debate in Egypt.
- The idea comes as authorities grapple with rising concerns over dog bites and rabies.
- Egypt’s parliament is already reviewing proposals related to regulated dog exports.
- The controversy has opened a wider discussion about whether a public-health challenge can be transformed into an economic opportunity.
Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris has sparked a national debate after suggesting that Egypt should stop killing stray dogs and instead treat, export and sell them abroad, turning what many see as a public-health burden into a potential economic opportunity.
Sawiris, Egypt’s richest man and Africa’s sixth richest person according to Bloomberg’s Billionaire Index, took to social media to advocate for a national programme to collect, treat, and export stray dogs instead of killing them or leaving them on the streets.
The proposal, which has attracted widespread attention in Egypt, comes as authorities struggle to manage a large stray animal population amid concerns over dog bites, rabies and public safety.
It has also thrust an issue that normally receives limited attention into the centre of a broader conversation about public policy, economics and animal welfare.
“We need a national project to round up these dogs, provide them with medical treatment, and then sell and export them abroad where people actually want to raise them, rather than relying on random culling and allowing them to spread diseases,” Sawiris wrote on social media.
The remarks were prompted by a video showing stray dogs sheltering in the entrance of a residential building, but the reaction has extended far beyond social media.
Egypt’s stray-dog problem has become a growing concern for health authorities and local communities.
According to official figures cited by Egyptian media, more than 1.2 million animal bite and scratch cases were recorded between January and September 2025.
The figures have intensified concerns over rabies and renewed calls for more effective methods of controlling stray animal populations.
For years, authorities and local administrations have faced criticism from animal welfare organisations over culling programmes used to reduce stray-dog numbers.
Animal-rights advocates argue that sterilisation and vaccination programmes offer a more humane and sustainable solution.
Sawiris’s proposal introduces a different approach altogether.
Instead of viewing stray dogs solely as a public-health challenge, the billionaire has suggested treating them as a resource that could potentially be rehabilitated and rehomed internationally.
From social media to parliament
What makes the proposal noteworthy is that it arrives as Egypt is already examining the possibility of exporting stray dogs.
Local media reports indicate that Egypt’s parliament has been discussing proposals related to regulated dog exports and has referred the matter to a scientific committee for further study.
Officials from the Veterinary Services Authority have reportedly said they do not object in principle to exports provided international veterinary and animal-health standards are met.
The development means that what initially appeared to be a provocative social-media comment is now intersecting with an active policy discussion.
Whether the idea progresses beyond that stage remains uncertain.
Can stray dogs become an export business?
The proposal raises difficult practical and economic questions.
Any large-scale export programme would require the capture, housing, treatment, vaccination and transportation of animals while complying with strict import requirements in destination countries. Those processes could prove expensive and logistically complex.
Supporters argue that international adoption programmes could help reduce pressure on local communities while offering a humane alternative to culling.
Critics, however, question whether sufficient overseas demand exists and whether the costs involved would outweigh any economic benefits.
The debate mirrors a broader challenge facing many governments: how to address public-health concerns while balancing animal welfare considerations and limited public resources.
A familiar role for Sawiris
One of Egypt’s best-known business figures, Sawiris built his fortune through investments spanning telecommunications, construction, mining and financial services.
He has frequently commented on economic policy, government spending and investment priorities, often advocating market-based solutions to public challenges.
His latest proposal follows a series of public interventions on issues ranging from economic reforms to investment strategy, reinforcing his reputation as one of the region’s most outspoken billionaires.
Whether Egypt ultimately embraces the idea of exporting stray dogs remains to be seen.
But the suggestion has already achieved one outcome: it has transformed a long-running local problem into a national debate about whether an unconventional business solution could succeed where traditional approaches have struggled.
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