The government of Warrap State has approved the order to kill stray dogs in an attempt to protect public from rabies.
The move comes after 20 people were reportedly bitten by a stray dog in Tonj South County last week.
The order was announced by Juliana Luka, the state minister of Animal Resources and fisheries on Monday.
“Our policy is that, any dog which are moving without ring – a symbol of vaccination – and without the owner must be killed,” Ms Luka told Mayardit FM on Monday.
A dog bite can lead to rabies or tetanus infection. Immediate medical care is required when the bite is from a dog that has, or might have, rabies, doctors say.
Symptoms of infection include redness, swelling, increased pain and oozing. A doctor should look at these symptoms right away.
Bite wounds from dogs can range from minor to life-threatening and need to be treated quickly to prevent infection or traumatic complications. Not having had a tetanus shot in five or more years increases tetanus risk and a booster shot may be recommended.
It is not clear why dogs have started biting residents there.
To a dog, however, starvation or severe hunger is similar to an injury, according to reports.
That being the case, they’ll lash out at anyone near them in an attempt to protect themselves from further harm. Starvation will often cause dogs to resource guard, adding another layer to your dog’s bite risk.
South Sudan remains one of the most food insecure countries globally and in the East Africa region, with over 60 percent of the population expected to be acutely food insecure between June and September.