Askal, also called aspin, refers to the diverse population of mongrel dogs found in the Philippines. The term "Askal" is derived from the Filipino language and is commonly used to describe stray or mixed-breed dogs that roam the streets of urban and rural areas across the country.
A male askal on the beach.
A male askal with a leash on.
A stray askal in Metro Manila.
Philippine Forest Dog ("Asong Gubat”)
Street dogs, known in scientific literature as free-ranging urban dogs, are unconfined dogs that live in cities. They live virtually everywhere cities exist and the local human population allows, especially in the developing world. Street dogs may be stray dogs, pets which have strayed from or are abandoned by their owners, or may be feral animals that have never been owned. Street dogs may be stray purebreds, true mixed-breed dogs, or unbred landraces such as the Indian pariah dog. Street dog overpopulation can cause problems for the societies in which they live, so campaigns to spay and neuter them are sometimes implemented. They tend to differ from rural free-ranging dogs in their skill sets, socialization, and ecological effects.
Street dog at a footpath in Pune, India.
Street dogs at a crossing in Bucharest
A stray dog in Thimphu, Bhutan
Stray dogs rescued in Assam, India, by a local dog shelter