British colonial laws on stray animals - top election issue in Sri Lanka

Leftover British colonial laws regarding stray dogs and cats have become a campaign issue in the coming presidential election in Sri Lanka, whose majority Buddhists promote compassion toward all beings. Animal rights activists on Tuesday asked candidates to promise that, if elected, they'd replace the century-old colonial animal control laws with more humane policies.

Sri Lanka gained independence in 1948.

There are an estimated 2 million dogs and hundreds of thousands of cats in the island country of 19 million people. Most of the animals are strays.

Sagarica Rajakarunanayake, who heads the group Friends of Animals, said strays are often placed in overcrowded pounds where they are allegedly neglected and left to die without euthanasia, reports the AP. I.L.