Meaningless Catch-Neuter-Release dog control in Sofia
by Emil Kuzmanov
(Translated article from Bulgarian Monitor daily, 21 December 2007. It was first published in English 23 January 2008 in Indymedia Scotland)
On December 9, 2007 Bulgarian media announced a new data about the activity of the Ekoravnovesie Municipal Enterprise in Sofia. Between September 2006 and November 2007, 1,005 dogs were euthanized; 372 were sterilized and adopted by citizens; and 4,306 were sterilized and released to the street.
Still the most popular politicians and SPCAs tenaciously are hortativing the Bulgarian public that the sterilization of unwanted animals is "the only one human and effective method for reducing the population number". The obtrusive thesis in Bulgaria is pushing down, when is being collected with the good practise accepted by USA. Through the last decades the number of the dogs and cats killed in the shelters resistable is counting down. Merritt Clifton, population analisist, point out as a serious reason the increasing sterilized ratio among the owned pets. It is touching 70 percent among the dog population; but in some areas it is already 85 percent.
This noiseable street activity succesfully took the attention of the people far away from the truth real problem in that area – unplanned pet breeding. The owned dog population in Sofia includes thousands of so called "yard dogs". Many of them are semi-restricted mongrels living in business yards, parking areas, construction fields et. c. Their undesirable posterity quickly is being grown and constantly is going to the street. Independently of that – are the strays neutered or not, most of them are not living outside a lot of time, and they are dissapearing without a trace. Exactly that circumstace, but not the official activity, is the real reason their habitual count to be in condition. Also the lack of any type of registration gives an opportunity for supporting their population shift at "high speed".
Ignoring the reality, Sofia has its own way to staff a record by meaningless activity, measured with the count of the treated and dissapeared strays. At least three NGOs from years also are participating in the ceaseless sterilization of thousands unregistered dogs. So for example, over the area of Tzarigradsko Shausse Boulevard we can meet a stray dog worked out by Tierhilfe Sueden and marked with number "8,189"; but the destiny of the previous 8,188 dogs is unknown. The National Foundation for the Protection of Animals and Deutsch-Bulgarische Strassentier-Nothilfe are using about such activity the Municipal shelters in Vrazhdebna and Lozenetz.
Furthermore, the Animal Protection Bill, which is being discussed by the Parliament foresees and doing the same inadequate politic abouth the stray cats. It is obviously that the isolated street activity are being served a private interest only. The scheme "bringing and taking over" of unregistered animals is well known to the animal protection organizations with international activity.
At the Summer of that year, a representative of Fondation Brigitte Bardot noted in an unofficial letter, that the beginning of a sterilization campaign in Sofia would be unacceptable for the Foundation, while neutered dogs disapear out of the streets. The acceplable and transparency management of Sofia in a future time would be characterised with a priority in that area to be an organized sterilization of thousands "yard" animals; funding a free and low-cost service for the owned pets, engaging enough private practising veterinarians, assuring a transportation, educating the pet owners and encouraging them to use that service.
N.B. This English version was insignificantly reduced by the author
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by Emil Kuzmanov
(Translated article from Bulgarian Monitor daily, 21 December 2007. It was first published in English 23 January 2008 in Indymedia Scotland)
On December 9, 2007 Bulgarian media announced a new data about the activity of the Ekoravnovesie Municipal Enterprise in Sofia. Between September 2006 and November 2007, 1,005 dogs were euthanized; 372 were sterilized and adopted by citizens; and 4,306 were sterilized and released to the street.
Still the most popular politicians and SPCAs tenaciously are hortativing the Bulgarian public that the sterilization of unwanted animals is "the only one human and effective method for reducing the population number". The obtrusive thesis in Bulgaria is pushing down, when is being collected with the good practise accepted by USA. Through the last decades the number of the dogs and cats killed in the shelters resistable is counting down. Merritt Clifton, population analisist, point out as a serious reason the increasing sterilized ratio among the owned pets. It is touching 70 percent among the dog population; but in some areas it is already 85 percent.
This noiseable street activity succesfully took the attention of the people far away from the truth real problem in that area – unplanned pet breeding. The owned dog population in Sofia includes thousands of so called "yard dogs". Many of them are semi-restricted mongrels living in business yards, parking areas, construction fields et. c. Their undesirable posterity quickly is being grown and constantly is going to the street. Independently of that – are the strays neutered or not, most of them are not living outside a lot of time, and they are dissapearing without a trace. Exactly that circumstace, but not the official activity, is the real reason their habitual count to be in condition. Also the lack of any type of registration gives an opportunity for supporting their population shift at "high speed".
Ignoring the reality, Sofia has its own way to staff a record by meaningless activity, measured with the count of the treated and dissapeared strays. At least three NGOs from years also are participating in the ceaseless sterilization of thousands unregistered dogs. So for example, over the area of Tzarigradsko Shausse Boulevard we can meet a stray dog worked out by Tierhilfe Sueden and marked with number "8,189"; but the destiny of the previous 8,188 dogs is unknown. The National Foundation for the Protection of Animals and Deutsch-Bulgarische Strassentier-Nothilfe are using about such activity the Municipal shelters in Vrazhdebna and Lozenetz.
Furthermore, the Animal Protection Bill, which is being discussed by the Parliament foresees and doing the same inadequate politic abouth the stray cats. It is obviously that the isolated street activity are being served a private interest only. The scheme "bringing and taking over" of unregistered animals is well known to the animal protection organizations with international activity.
At the Summer of that year, a representative of Fondation Brigitte Bardot noted in an unofficial letter, that the beginning of a sterilization campaign in Sofia would be unacceptable for the Foundation, while neutered dogs disapear out of the streets. The acceplable and transparency management of Sofia in a future time would be characterised with a priority in that area to be an organized sterilization of thousands "yard" animals; funding a free and low-cost service for the owned pets, engaging enough private practising veterinarians, assuring a transportation, educating the pet owners and encouraging them to use that service.
N.B. This English version was insignificantly reduced by the author
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