Stray dog injures 12 people, including children, in northern Jordan

Dubai: A stray dog injured 12 people, including young children and elderly residents, after attacking pedestrians in a town in northern Jordan before authorities tracked down and killed the animal, officials said.

The attacks unfolded on Monday in Kafr Al Maa, a rural town located in the Al Kourah District of the Irbid Governorate in northwestern Jordan, triggering panic among residents as the dog repeatedly emerged from hiding to attack people in the streets.

The municipality had earlier warned residents about a white stray dog roaming the area and urged them to report sightings immediately while avoiding any attempt to capture it.

Within three hours, emergency services received multiple reports of attacks, prompting ambulances and local authorities to respond.

Mohammad Abu Halawa, director of Princess Raya Government Hospital, said the hospital received 12 patients injured in separate attacks. Six were treated, vaccinated against rabies in line with medical protocols and discharged, while others remained under observation.

Among the most serious cases were a two-year-old child with a scalp wound, who was transferred to King Abdullah University Hospital, a three-year-old with a severe finger injury and another patient with a deep thigh wound, both referred to specialist hospitals.

Authorities said specialised teams pursued the dog for more than two hours before locating and killing it late on Monday, ending the immediate threat.

The incident reignited public concern over Jordan's growing stray dog problem. In June, the Interior Ministry approved the purchase of 280 tranquilliser rifles for municipalities to capture stray dogs and transfer them to shelters following a series of similar attacks. Jordanian courts have also ordered municipalities to compensate victims in previous stray dog attack cases after finding local authorities liable for failing to control the animals.