Stray Dogs In Romania Must Be Euthanized, Says President Traian Basescu

[tofuandbeer]

Source: Huffington Post

BUCHAREST, Romania -- Romania's president has urged the government to pass emergency legislation that would allow thousands of stray dogs to be euthanized in Bucharest, citing the case of a child who was fatally mauled by one.

"Humans are above dogs," President Traian Basescu said in a speech at his palace that was televised live on Tuesday.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/03/stray-dogs-romania_n_3861718.html?utm_hp_ref=green

[potone]

1. Why don't they simply neuter them to keep down the population?

[dbackjon]

2. And then do what with them?

[kestrel91316]

3. Presumably turn them loose to wander like the cats here with the TNR programs.

Because, you know that isn't REALLY just dumping them onto the street.........

[dbackjon]

4. LOL - no it isn't :)

Of course, as you know, TNR programs have been proven to be complete and utter failures at controlling cat populations

[brooklynite]

9. My guess is wild dogs are more dangerous than feral cats

[kestrel91316]

11. The many people who get attacked and bitten by rabid feral cats

in the US and elsewhere might beg to differ.

[hamsterjill]

13. Seriously?

One of the very first, basic, elementary and necessary acts of a proper TNR program is a rabies shot. All cats that are spayed and neutered and returned are given a rabies shot before release.

So, a cat that has been properly TNR'd should NOT pose a threat of rabies.

Feral cats do not attack like dogs. If someone is bitten by a cat, it's usually because the human was messing with the cat when they shouldn't have been. Can it happen? Sure, but it's certainly not a wide-spread problem.

I'm aware that you're a vet, but I'm really surprised at your statement.

[kestrel91316]

15. Rabies shots do NOT last a lifetime. Period. And the vast majority of feral cats

are not part of properly managed colonies. Hell, most feral cat colonies are not properly managed colonies.

Rabid feral cats are behind the vast majority of domestic animal rabies in the US.

[hamsterjill]

16. Well, for starters, the rescue group that I work with does it properly.

And most colony caretakers that I know do it properly. For me, if there are going to be feral cats, I'd rather them be fed regularly so that they remain healthy, sheltered properly against the elements, and vaccinated. We maintain files on each cat that we TNR, and we have a database of vaccination dates and we have regular feeders and caretakers who report anything out of the ordinary with the cats to a colony leader who addresses any concerns with one of the vets that work with us.

Most progressive veterinarians in our area are supportive of TNR. We have a few who still insist that it can't be done, but the success of TNR in our city is proof that those holdouts are misinformed.

I refuse to believe that "kill everything" is the only answer. And while I understand the situation with the dog packs (you'll see a post from me lower in the thread where I sadly agree that euthanasia may be appropriate in this situation which is the subject of this thread, but that I feel they need to address the root of the problem as well), I simply do not believe that cats present the same type of danger as dogs.

Whereas a dog may attack aggressively, a feral cat is not going to attack unless cornered. A true feral is going to run and hide.

Anyway, nice exchanging mindsets with you.

[kestrel91316]

18. I fully support any TNR colony that is kept CURRENT on vaccines of public health importance.

And I'll leave it at that.

[Deep13]

7. I'm sure they would be willing to accept your credit card number to pay for it. nt

[Scootaloo]

5. Sad to say, it's probably the best solution

They're disease carriers, potentially dangerous, and pose sanitation issues, traffic hazards, and property damage. Essentially feral pets are vermin. it'd be great if there were a big adoption program, but the sad reality is adopted ferals require intense human acclamation and training, which most people just can't give. Even if Romania could afford it, which I suspect it could not.

[Liberal_in_LA]

6. noooo. there must be a better way

[Deep13]

8. I've been to cities with serious feral animal problems.

Cairo, Amman, Beirut. This isn't a few or even a few hundred animals. They are everywhere and people have no way of knowing which are tame strays, which are genuinely feral (wild), and which are carrying parasites or diseases. The dogs in particular have no fear of humans. A campaign to spay and neuter would prevent the problem from recurring, but the only real way to solve it is to kill them.

[tofuandbeer]

10. It's not so much the euthanization (I agree that's very sad—after seeing the innocents at shelters).

Last edited Wed Sep 4, 2013, 04:58 PM - Edit history (1)

But it's more of the asshole's attitude: "Humans are above dogs."
Maybe it was just bad translation, but his words sound very cold to me. I don't think humans are "above" other life.
I guess he's just being a politician, though.

[Deep13]

17. So you are comparing an animal control population...

...to the systematic murder of 20 million people.

Frankly, that is insulting to the victims of the Nazis. In human perception and in public policy, humans are above dogs and saying so is merely stating what ought to be obvious.

[tofuandbeer]

19. My bad. Poor choice of words. Edit made. Thanks.

[GreenStormCloud]

20. Humans ARE above dogs. N/T

[Dash87]

12. Not sure I disagree. The problem is the roaming packs of stray dogs that can happen.

He's not going after people's pets, from what it looks like. Just stray packs of dogs that are a threat to people.

[hamsterjill]

14. Very sad situation.

And something that is developing in the United States, as well. There was recent press about the stray dogs in Detroit.

Yes, humans are above dogs, and human life must be protected. That said, however, they need to address the root of the problem. If they kill all of the strays, yet still allow dogs to breed indescriminately without addressing the overpopulation issue at the core, they will be killing all the time.

Handle the problem, yes. But stop the breeding, too.