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Thousands of stray dogs to be culled in Siberian town

By The Siberian Times reporter
28 January 2013

A plan has been drafted to catch and kill 2,200 stray dogs in Gorno-Altaisk, the capital of the Altai Republic.

The authorities are allocating 167 roubles ($5.50) for each dog that is destroyed. At the end of each raid the dogs must be taken to an official veterinary for a check on how the killing was undertaken. Picture: Alexander Tyryshkin, The Siberian Times

The authorities are allocating 167 roubles ($5.50) for each dog that is destroyed. 

Stray dogs are seen as a problem in many Russian cities and vigilante dog catchers set up gangs to kill them in some places.

The authorities in Gorno-Altaisk are offering a contract for three times a week patrols which must be accompanied by a policeman. 

At the end of each raid the dogs must be taken to an official veterinary for a check on how the killing was undertaken. 

The dogs will be buried in a 'bio-thermal pit'.

Dog hunters organised by the internet are operating in larger Russian cities. for example Moscow and Novosibirsk. 

'We are fighting wild dogs. We do not exterminate pet dogs', says one group on its website entitled 'No to vermin'

But the use of poisoned baits for dogs is ensnaring pets, say critics. Some owners say the semi-clandestine 'Doghunters' organisation should be put on trial, labelling them 'sadists' and 'butchers'.

'We would prefer for the dogs to be captured and placed in shelters, where if no one claimed them, they would be put down,' said a 'Doghunter' member from Siberia, who gave only his nickname of Dogmeat, said AFP. He claimed that government efforts 'had no effect'  because the state funding allocated for tackling the problem 'had apparently been embezzled'. 'The Doghunters are maniacs. They enjoy killing. Unfortunately, the police do not want to react', said Daria Khmelnitskaya, an activist with animal rights group Vita.

Comments (3)

It's very sad and i agree the hunters are probably nut-cases, thirsty for blood, and crap at hunting real beasts. It's sad so many dogs have to be killed. We have a pack at the bottom of our building. I wish I could take one in but can't afford it, plus we don't have the room for a hamster let alone a dog. Dogs to need to become REALLY expensive, as much as half a year's wages.
Mao Oliver-Semenov, Krasnoyarsk
31/01/2013 18:49
1
2
people - dogs have to be sterilised. Its not their fault that they multiply - its yours, first in letting the numbers grow to such extent, then killing the animals. They are not wolves, they are dogs, if to put a bit of care they can be organised. Wake your brains up, really!
Sonya, Germany
29/01/2013 10:24
7
1
Its got to become much, much more difficult and expensive for a family or a person to have a dog. I can't think of any other measures rather than financial that will force people to be more responsible towards the animals. Then the numbers of stray dogs will go down dramatically.
Tanie, Novosibirsk
29/01/2013 10:08
2
0
1

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