In Rwanda, there is a growing street dog problem, yet no national strategies exist to humanely control or reduce the population. 

Dogs are one of the most neglected species of animal in Rwanda, and stray dogs in particular suffer greatly from sickness, injuries, and abuse. Just one stray unsterilised female dog can produce up to 20 puppies a year, and over a period of 6 years, that dog and her offspring, if none are ever sterilised, will produce around 67,000 dogs. 

WAG exists to improve the health and welfare of the most needy dogs by rescuing and rehabilitating them at our shelter located in Kabuga, Kigali, as well as addressing the root cause of this uncontrollable growth of street dogs in Rwanda.

But we also care about the communities that live with dogs. People who interact with stray and unmanaged dogs are at risk of being infected with rabies, which is 100% fatal once symptoms appear. WAG is the only organisation in Rwanda solely dedicated to improving the health and welfare of dogs, and the communities they live in, using a multi-activity, One Health, approach. 

Together with local and international partners, our work spans 5 core pillars: 

1. Rescue, rehabilitation and rehoming of stray and abandoned dogs
2. Community engagement and education
3. Leading local and national strategies to humanely control the dog population and eliminate rabies in Rwanda
4. Research and advocacy on animal welfare
5. Strengthening the animal healthcare workforce in Rwanda through collaboration and training