War of the species

[MeMyselfAndI]

After street dogs maul to death a 7-year old boy near Novocherkassk, the authorities in the Cossack capital announce a total cull.
http://kvu.su/index.php?Itemid=91&catid=55%3A2011-09-01-12-33-37&id=1127%3A2012-01-10-08-37-39&option=com_content&view=article
Men with rifles are in the streets
http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/7334/201bq.jpg
Any dogs found without an owner will be shot
http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/1664/05dogsn081123.jpg
http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/9529/1533679.jpg

Well, this is not the first. In Moscow, back in 2009, 120 "Street Dog Eradication Brigades" were created
http://www.livejournal.ru/themes/id/12514
http://img1.1tv.ru/imgsize460x345/PR20110601143813.JPG
These "Dog-hunters" are paid 2,000 rubles for every dog they kill.

Honestly... I do not know what to think about this. These dogs are certainly a big problem in many urban areas in Russia.
http://www.photo.md/editor/assets/15462.jpg
Many are abandoned by their owners and end up on the streets. There are thousands of them, they reproduce quickly, have lots of puppies
http://img1.liveinternet.ru/images/attach/c/2/73/17/73017182_dog_mother_and_puppies_01.jpg

Stay in large, vicious packs
http://www.sledcom.ru/upload/iblock/fc7/bojysw%20egootdsuk.jpg
and they bite, hard, I assure you
http://img.medwed-hunt.ru/2010/6/6296.jpg

The problem is, really, the definition of "street dog" here. A "street dog" is any unattended dog without a leash. That means should your Rex run outside without you noticing, here in Moscow he may very well be shot.

That is why many people are protesting this
http://pics.livejournal.com/drugoi/pic/00p26d69.jpg
http://petlike.me/image_all/wall/20117/19/203026/wall_904738444174931_large.jpg
http://www.ikd.ru/images/image/zooza6ita%2028_03_09%205.JPG
Most of the protesters are themselves dog-owners, so, I do understand their feelings.

However, one must also consider people who have been attacked by these dogs. In this case they had killed a child. The reaction was also, to me, understandable. Especially when you consider that this is, indeed, Novocherkassk, the capital of the Cossacks, an impulsive and vengeful people who would kill for far less then their children.:shrug:

[Donkey]

It is a shame. Only reinforces how important it is to have a culture of spay-and-neuter. There are no overnight solutions to packs of feral dogs.

[Michael]

It is a shame. Only reinforces how important it is to have a culture of spay-and-neuter. There are no overnight solutions to packs of feral dogs.

Yes there is. It is called bounties. US has previously wiped out the entire buffalo and wolf population of the USA with those.

Feral dogs in cities are much easier to hunt down and eliminate compared to wolves.

[Donkey]

Yes there is. It is called bounties. US has previously wiped out the entire buffalo and wolf population of the USA with those.

Feral dogs in cities are much easier to hunt down and eliminate compared to wolves.

Temporary solution at best.

[Michael]

Temporary solution at best.

Really? Tell that to the buffalo and wolves. Both species were completely eradicated from the mainland continental US.

Both species were re-introduced to the USA in the last couple of decades from surviving populations in Canada.

Dead dogs don't breed.

[Donkey]

Really? Tell that to the buffalo and wolves. Both species were completely eradicated from the mainland continental US.

Both species were re-introduced to the USA in the last couple of decades from surviving populations in Canada.

Dead dogs don't breed.

Yeah but not a lot of people insist on keeping wolves and bison as pets, and then refuse to sterilize them.

[Michael]

Yeah but not a lot of people insist on keeping wolves and bison as pets, and then refuse to sterilize them.

That produces strays, not packs of feral dogs.

[MeMyselfAndI]

Most of these dogs come from when people buy cute puppies for their children, but when the cute puppy quickly grows into a large and expensive to feed dog, they throw them out into the streets.

[pramjockey]

That produces strays, not packs of feral dogs.

What's the difference?

[Michael]

What's the difference?
Strays are easily and routinely handled by local/municpal dog catchers.

Packs of feral dogs are a whole different game (one needs a gun).

[Donkey]

Strays are easily and routinely handled by local/municpal dog catchers.

Packs of feral dogs are a whole different game (one needs a gun).

One leads to the other.

[MeMyselfAndI]

Strays are easily and routinely handled by local/municpal dog catchers.

Packs of feral dogs are a whole different game (one needs a gun).

Not necessarily. Poisoned meat is also used. Here, anyway. Particularly in the Metro, underground, where they have the street dog issue as bad or worse as on the surface
http://jabak.ru/data/p2-3-011211-235231.jpghttp://photopolygon.com/photo/fit/2345/6407/33937.jpg.700
http://www.themagpieonline.com/sites/default/files/field/image/dog10.jpg
would rather not use guns. The meat is placed during out-of-service hours in areas where the dogs usually congregate.

No, something needs to be done...
http://www.themagpieonline.com/sites/default/files/field/image/dogs.jpghttp://www.sovsibir.ru/up/2011/187/187-04.jpghttp://img.beta.rian.ru/images/19282/14/192821448.jpghttp://img.beta.rian.ru/images/20189/69/201896905.jpg
http://content.izvestia.ru/media/3/news/2011/08/497603/TASS_708934.jpghttp://parmanews.ru/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/DSC_0021.jpg

At the entrance to our local prefecture administration building:
http://www.kalitva.ru/uploads/posts/2011-03/1300786488_staya-sobak.jpg

They are taking over...
http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/4159/16082159511239959706.jpg

Man in Moscow in ambulance on way to hospital, after attacked by a pack of 5 street dogs
http://img.ntv.ru/home/chp/issues/10883/4_c.jpg
http://chp.ntv.ru/news/17344/

Astrakhan municipal government last year paid 5,5 million rubles to local hunters to kill 16,500 street dogs in the city
http://radio.vesti.ru/doc.html?id=429433

Unfortunately, Putin cannot understand us... He is a dog owner and lover himself lol
http://www.themagpieonline.com/sites/default/files/field/image/dog12.jpg

But, seriously, the one way to truly solve this is to stop feeding them. If they cannot eat, they will die. But the babushki keep feeding them
http://photo1.fotodia.ru/2010/11/19/206951_JMXpKLfX3t_o.jpg
http://duplo.jovan.com.ua/i/2008/02/dogs.jpg
For the lonely old women, the dogs are their one constant company, I suppose...

As long as that continues, so will the dog issue.

[Michael]

But, seriously, the one way to truly solve this is to stop feeding them. If they cannot eat, they will die. But the babushki keep feeding them

For the lonely old women, the dogs are their one constant company, I suppose...

As long as that continues, so will the dog issue.

We have the same problem with pigeons in big cities. It is against the law to feed pigeons in public in most western cities. They are a nuisance and a public health hazard (mountains of pigeon shit everywhere). And you will find old ladies and old men (it is always old people) feeding them every day by the thousands.