_News_ | *Ministry of Agriculture* *A plan to protect street dogs*👇 The Ministry of Agriculture has announced the launch of the “National Plan to Combat Rabies,” in coordination with the Syndicate of Veterinarians, which will be tasked with appointing specialists in each region to carry out the initiative. Agriculture Minister Nizar Hani told Megaphone that the plan aims to regulate the presence of stray dogs while ensuring both their safety and that of surrounding communities and the environment. The announcement comes amid a wave of brutal, unregulated efforts to eliminate street dogs across various Lebanese regions, including by poisoning and shooting. The ministry’s plan involves three key steps following the capture of street dogs: surgically sterilizing them to prevent reproduction, vaccinating them against rabies, and returning them to their original location after implanting an ear tag for identification and health monitoring. Yahya Khattar, head of the Ministry’s Export and Import Control and Veterinary Quarantine Service, noted that some municipalities in the Metn and Chouf regions have already started engaging with the plan and reached out to the ministry to initiate its implementation. Pharmaceutical companies have already secured the necessary vaccines. In the last week of May, two deaths were recorded on Ramlet al-Bayda beach, initially attributed to attacks by dogs in the area. However, municipal authorities bear full responsibility for any such incidents due to their negligence in handling stray dogs, ensuring their safety, and regulating their presence in accordance with Lebanese law.