It was already dark when we arrived in Yangon. I was surprised at how quiet the biggest city in Myanmar was. There wasn't anyone in sight, and it was eerily quiet. We needed to look for a hotel so we started walking in a random direction. Our search lead to hotels that were either full, too expensive, too dirty or refused to lodge us. Feeling frustrated, exhausted, hungry and discouraged, we trudged into the night. By this time, it was about 11 p.m..

We headed down on another dark street, our backpacks feeling heavier with each passing minute. I noticed in the near distance a small bunch engaged in friendly play-fighting. It wasn't the first time I encountered such a raucous gang during our travels so I wasn't bothered.

They squinted their beady little eyes indicating they had seen me. I dismissed their intense stare as curiosity, and continued towards them without a second thought. Their playful bantering suddenly stopped, and they became as still as the night.

My boyfriend made a slight swerve away from them but I was already too close. I trudged on. “They're harmless”, I told myself.  All of a sudden, the silence was broken by their piercing anger. They got louder and angrier. Their cockiness far surpassed their stout stature. I backed away but it was too late. I had already trespassed.

One, two, three came at me. My heart started thumping, thump, thump, thump. I was scared to the core of my being. Two more joined in. I wondered if more would be coming out of the darkness. They were mad and out of control. Spit spurt out from their gnarled mouths. I felt trapped. I started shaking and my knees got weak. How will I get out of this?

My boyfriend waved a stick at them while shouting but to no avail. Luckily, I managed to escape the circle they had formed. We quickly crossed the street but they were relentless. The gang followed us with revenge on their lips, fierce as ever. There was nowhere to go, no one to help us.

All of a sudden, out of nowhere, a car came speeding towards us. It was surreal; it was the kind of scene only fathomable in movies. The car screeched to a halt, screeeeeech. The driver opened the door ordering us to get in. It was either getting into the car with a stranger, or getting attacked by the angry mob. Decisions, decisions. We hastily jumped into the car not really knowing what to expect.

I felt a wave of relief come over me. I looked out the rear window while we drove away. I could still see them, their silhouettes fading into obscurity, their furious outcries echoing into the night. Defeated, they sulke back into the darkness. I couldn't believe what had just happened!

The driver turned out to be quite friendly. He warned us not to walk the streets at night. He said there were stray dogs everywhere, ruling the streets and reaping terror. He went on to say this was a big problem in Yangon. Many people have been attacked, and have even died at the rage of these hoodlums.

“You were lucky”, he said. We thanked him while trying to catch our breath. After calming down, I let out a nervous laugh: Did we just have a close encounter with Yangon's most dangerous street gang?

STRAY DOGS IN YANGON

Stray dogs are a serious problem in Myanmar with nearly 1000 rabies-related deaths per year, the highest number in all of Southeast Asia. The dogs that nearly attacked me looked "healthy" and well-fed. I questioned if they were truly stray dogs, or if they had owners. The answer is that many people choose to feed the dogs without actually owning them. Of course, this is a noble gesture but it doesn't solve the problem of the ever-growing population of stray dogs. The only sustainable solution is to neuter the dogs.

For decades, the city had taken drastic measures to control the number of strays by scattering poisoned meat causing the death of thousands of street dogs. People were outraged, and spoke vehemently against this barbaric practice forcing the Yangon City Develop Committee to stop.

Unfortunately, hundreds of thousands of stray dogs and puppies remain on the streets of Yangon alone. The problem is only getting worse and attacks are on the rise.

Read more: Question of Whether to Cull Strays Divides Yangon, Yangon's Stray Dogs, Rangoon's Stray Dogs: Burdens or Companions?,

WHAT TO DO WHEN BITTEN BY A STRAY DOG?

Although it's recommended to get a rabies vaccine if you think you'll be in contact with infected animals, this doesn't guarantee against contracting the virus. If you've had the shot, you'll still need to go to a hospital to get 2 more shots at different intervals. Whether you're vaccinated or not, the first thing to do is to clean the wound and head to a hospital as soon as possible.

Upon arrival, a first shot will be given to then be followed by other doses extending up to 2 weeks (if you haven't been vaccinated). Rabies should be taken seriously. Initially, it will bring on pain and fever followed by seizures, hallucinations and paralysis. It's almost always fatal in untreated humans.

It’s best not to pet any stray animals, dogs or cats. Street dogs are often feral despite being in contact with humans. As with any animal, they can be unpredictable and dangerous especially when in packs.

More information: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

READ MORE ON MYANMAR

• Like in a Misty Dream on Inle Lake
• The Gold Pounders of Mandalay in Myanmar
• A Brief Guide to the Most Compelling Temples of Ancient Bagan
• Olfactory Memories of Myeik
• The Biggest Reclining Buddha Image in the World
• Visiting Mount Kyaikhtiyo and the Sacred Golden Mount
• Thousands of Buddha Eyes Watching Over Hpa-An
• How to Make the Most of Your Time in Yangon

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Lydia

I’m the founder and creator of Life Untraveled. I quit my corporate job, sold everything I owned and have been traveling full-time since 2018. I hope to inspire you to travel differently on a budget.

More about me here.