Kuwait’s Government Communication Centre has published the rules for keeping a dog. They apply to every owner in the country, and breaking them is a criminal offence.
What an owner must do
- Licence: hold a licence for the dog.
- Collar tag: the dog wears a collar with a metal plate showing its registered serial number.
- Vet check and rabies vaccine: take the dog to the veterinary centre to be examined and vaccinated against rabies, then keep the vaccination up to date every year.
- Out in public: muzzle and leash, both, on streets and in public places.
- If you suspect rabies: report it to the veterinary centre straight away.
Infected animals
Stay away from any animal that has rabies or might have it. Do not touch it, and do not dump or bury its carcass yourself.
The penalty
Up to one month in prison, a fine of up to KD 30, or either one.
What to do now
- Check your paperwork: a licence, a numbered plate on the collar, and a rabies shot less than a year old.
- Never take the dog to a street or public park without a muzzle and a leash.
- For a stray dog, call 112, as the Interior Ministry has asked.
Photo: A dog on a collar and leash walking beside its owner, a general image. By Anish Anilkumar, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Source: Kuwait Government Communication Centre, as reported by Al-Qabas (9 October 2026) and Al-Rai.
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