Outrage as Suez Canal University defends dog slaughter video
Animal welfare organizations and a lawyer have filed reports with the Public Prosecution regarding the slaughter of a dog inside the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Suez Canal University. The faculty confirmed the incident but asserted it was “old” and that the “dog was rabid.”
Social media users have widely shared a video showing two individuals slaughtering a dog, amid criticism of the way the animal was handled, questions about the circumstances of the incident, and demands for an investigation.
Mona Khalil, head of the Egyptian Society for Mercy to Animals (ESMA) and head of the Egyptian Federation for Animal Welfare, told Al Manassa that she filed a report with the Public Prosecution against the university and the faculty member who dealt with the dog, noting that the federation and the society are also preparing to file official complaints with the Supreme Council of Universities, the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, the president of Suez Canal University, and the dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.
Human rights lawyer Sameh Kenawy told Al Manassa that he had filed a report with the Prosecutor General against a member of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and its dean, Dalia Mansour.
He explained that the report is grounded in violations of animal welfare regulations, maintaining that the method depicted in the video falls outside acceptable euthanasia practices.
In a statement issued after the video gained traction, the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at Suez Canal University said the incident occurred during a holiday several years ago, and that its resurfacing warranted clarifying the circumstances.
It explained that a worker at the faculty’s farm had alerted the head of the anatomy department, Dr. Saeed Ahmed Mohamed, after noticing a nearby dog showing signs of rabies, including biting at foreign objects, agitation, increased salivation, and difficulty moving its hind legs.
The faculty said the case was handled as a suspected rabies infection, with the dog isolated inside the anatomy department to prevent contact with people or other animals on the farm while under observation for 72 hours.
According to the statement, the dog refused food and water during the observation period, prompting the head of the anatomy department to authorize its sedation and “euthanasia” under approved veterinary protocols. Staff then took samples for pathological examination and buried the carcass hygienically so stray animals and birds could not disturb it.
The faculty’s statement does not mention whether the dog had a confirmed rabies infection before it was killed, describing it instead as a “suspected case” and noting that samples were taken for examination afterward.
ESMA’s head criticized the faculty’s account, arguing that handling a dog with suspected rabies requires specific safety measures, while questioning whether authorities were notified or proper diagnostic procedures followed.
She said that describing what happened as “euthanasia” does not align, from her perspective, with the method shown in the video, adding, “What does it mean to slaughter a dog with a scalpel inside a narrow room in front of a group of students, with blood flowing on the floor, while the dog is awake? The scene is shocking, and I do not know what it teaches students.”
Sanaa El-Hakim, a volunteer with the CART animal rights association, also described the video as shocking and criticized how the dog was treated despite claims of suspected rabies.
She told Al Manassa that educational alternatives should replace such practices, emphasizing that illness does not justify the conduct shown and casting doubt on whether the procedure constituted “euthanasia,” as the dog continued moving while being handled despite supposedly being anesthetized.
The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine denied the incident was related to educational dissection or practical training for students, asserting that the handling of the dog came in the context of its suspeced rabies infection.
Khalil said the concerns extend beyond this single incident, citing a broader need to review animal handling practices across veterinary medicine faculties, and noting that education and scientific research do not justify subjecting animals to torture or suffering.
International health and animal welfare organizations have established clear protocols for handling animals suspected of having rabies and and for conducting euthanasia.
For animals displaying signs of rabies, the World Health Organization recommends humane euthanasia by a trained professional, followed by sending tissue samples to a laboratory for testing. The organization notes that definitive confirmation of a rabies infection can only be made post-mortem.
Specific euthanasia guidelines from the World Organisation for Animal Health include using barbiturates or an overdose of anesthetics, with strict requirements to minimize animal pain and distress and ensure death before disposal.
Though the faculty maintains the incident occurred years ago involving a dog suspected of rabies, it said the dean referred the case to its research ethics committee on Tuesday for investigation and necessary legal action immediately upon learning of it.