There is the city in the heart of Russia, in Western Siberia, is the city – Novosibirsk. Don’t think of the snow-covered village and the streets where the bears walk. Novosibirsk – one and a half metropolis, and now, June 15, there are about 30 degrees Celsius (85 degrees Fahrenheit). Bears are in the zoo; city officials seem to take their place.
June 9 Deputy Head of the City Department of Energy, Housing and Public Utilities Nikolai Malay officially proposed "to establish the possibility of catching aggressive stray dogs and cats to kill, and to allow the capture of such animals in the presence of children."
Currently it’s expressly and unequivocally prohibited by "The Order of keeping dogs and cats in the city of Novosibirsk". Also now there is no clear and understandable criteria that determines whether an aggressive dog or not. In fact, any dog can be recognized as aggressive – it’s absolutely subjective.
Galina Klebche, the representative of the NGO “Animal’s right for life", says that this rule is already constantly violated, and Mr. Malay simply wants to legalize the capture in the presence of children.
In May of this year stray, but familiar to and loved by neighbors dog was caught the eyes of a child. Catchers of “Novosibirsk Stray Pets Center” came to capture a flock of dogs, but discovered that they all ran away. Catchers, decided to get at least one dog, at that time was together with 11-year-old girl. While catching the dog was strangled by iron tongs and so on, so after seeing that little girl got severe psychological trauma and could not speak for two days.
Local TV channel reported this case, including child’s interview. Later the chief of the “Novosibirsk Stray Pets Center” Andrey Karkavin phoned the editor of the channel required to remove the interview, arguing that the child is not responsible for their words.
Tatiana Kutukova, psychiatrist-psychotherapist"… Any act of aggression can be deeply traumatic for a child, and the more aggressive treatment to animals, helpless and unable to stand up for themselves. … Child can’t protect himself or the animal, yet feeling the need to help animal somehow. In this case little girl tried to protect the dog, but when catchers did not listen and took it, so she felt a failure and a subsequent time tormented by guilt. She fed and to play with this dog and was unable to save it. All of the above could lead to emerging child symptoms: sleep disturbance, withdrawal, tics, appetite disturbance, anxiety, obsessions. Older children (teenagers over 11-13 years) similar behavior (cruelty to animals, catching) could provoke aggressive behavior not only to animals, but to people. It’s the statistical fact that 75% of mentally disordered people were cruel to pets. This is proven statistics. If you explore the life of criminals, maniacs, pedophiles, then almost all of them started with the abuse of pets. We can say that if the aggressive trapping is required, the children certainly must not see it".
The experts do not consider it necessary to capture stray animals and even say that it is not an effective mean to regulate their numbers.
The representative of pet protection movement "In the name of life” Elizabeth Kaltygina says:"The practice of European countries proves that the problem of stray pets can be solved in 5-8 years. There are three essential conditions: limiting the pets reproduction, sterilization programs for home and stray pets, public education. What is happening here – this is the Stone Age, legalized public knackery, a waste of money for the notoriously inefficient methods – capture and killing. People uncontrollably buy pets, than throw them out without any responsibility. Streets will continue to be filled with stray pets as long as the government will solve consequences rather than causes of the problem”.
In six years of work "Novosibirsk Center for Pets" captured and killed upon some 7,000 animals, with an annual budget of 11 million rubles, reports Kaltygina. The rest that are in the streets perceive the action as an attack on their population and give natural reaction – female stray dogs are beginning to give birth more than before. Irresponsible owners continue to throw away unwanted pets, and the Centre continues to waste city budget money instead of learning from the experience of countries where the problem has been solved.
The representative of the animal protection movement "Animal Rights" Sophia Osochenko said that "pet protectors are invited to the working group to review and discuss the project, and we will strive to make adequate and reasonable changes."
This gives some hope. On the other hand, the fact that such a project is officially announced to the City Council is pretty hopeless itself.