Displaced people (IDPs) who started returning to their homes in Homalin Township, Sagaing Region in early March 2025 have faced the threat of aggressive feral dogs and rabies upon their return.

The problem has been happening in villages along the Uyu and Chindwin rivers in Homalin Township.

A returning IDP said to Voice of Shan-Ni: “As soon as the ferries reach the riverbank, those feral dogs are already there, ready to bite. It’s a real danger, even for people just coming back temporarily to collect their belongings. There haven’t been any serious incidents yet, but these dogs have turned wild, and that’s a big concern.”

When fighting spread to the villages in Homalin Township the villagers started evacuating in mid-2022 with the the most evacuations happening in mid-2023. When they evacuated they had to leave their livestock behind and many of the abandoned animals were killed by bullets and bombs or died of starvation. Dogs left in the villages then fed on the carcasses, developed a taste for raw meat and turned wild.

An IDP who recently returned to Myinthar Village in Homalin Township said: “When the villagers fled, there was no one to feed the dogs. So, the dogs started eating the raw meat of dead buffalo, cows, chickens, and pigs and they got addicted to it.”

The rabies virus is most prevalent during the Summer months and villagers are concerned that some feral dogs may be rabid. Returning villagers have suggested that local authorities develop and implement specific plans to combat rabies, especially since the high cost of vaccines makes them unaffordable for many locals.

There is a severe shortage of the rabies vaccine in Homalin Township and even if it can be found the price has gone up to 80,000 MMK a shot from 50,000 MMK a shot. Successfully vaccinating against rabies can mean having up to four shots.

Thousands of residents from about 20 villages in Homalin Township have now been displaced for more than a year. Some have managed to return home but most are still displaced.