Internationally, dogs are bred to rely on human owners for food, water and loving households in return for their loyalty. Unfortunately, there are cases when owners can no longer provide the necessities of life for their furry companions or simply choose not to. Local shelters, dog foster systems and organizations like the Humane Society exist to keep these heartbroken pups off the street and give them the opportunity to find the love and affection they need for survival.
Sochi, home of the 2014 Winter Olympics, does not have a system to control or manage abandoned pets. Instead, dogs roam the streets like scavengers, desperately searching for scraps of food and puddles of water. Starving stray dogs gravitate toward large crowds of people, hoping that someone will drop edible litter. According to Sochi officials, these dogs pose a potential safety issue. To prepare for the Olympics, Sochi has exterminated more than 5,000 homeless dogs to protect the safety of Olympians and guests. Although dog genocide seems like the quick and easy solution to their stray dog problem, there are more humane steps that could be taken that will solve the issue in the long term.
To exterminate these poor pups, the exterminators shoot them with a poison dart from a pipe — a slow and painful death. Instead of inhumanely killing off the stray dogs, Sochi can simply set up shelters in the region to house and feed these homeless animals. Sure, that would be a costly investment, but with a $51 billion budget, a simple solution that clears stray dogs off the street for the long-term, improves safety for Olympic guests, and makes the 2014 Winter Olympics at least a little bit less controversial is certainly worth it. Plus, the Sochi government would save money. Dog exterminations are a yearlong practice. If stray dogs are in shelters and homes and not on the streets, they will not have to invest in thousands of poison traps and darts each year.
Overall, shelters are a win-win solution for everyone involved, especially the dogs that will have the chance for a better life.
Also, if Sochi chose to simply vaccinate and sterilize stray dogs, it would be just as effective and significantly more humane. The main safety concern revolving stray dogs in general is that they are likely to carry diseases that could transfer to other animals and even humans. Keeping strays up to date on necessary vaccinations is a common sense way to solve health concerns.
Mass sterilizations should also be performed in Sochi. Stray dogs will continue to reproduce and the population will spread unless they are spayed and neutered. The fact that neutered dogs are generally less hostile certainly helps safety concerns as well. A mass sterilization and vaccination campaign will keep the stray dog population under control and will improve the safety and health conditions for Sochi civilians and visitors.
Dog exterminations should be stopped. These mass killings are not only inhumane and disgusting, but also only a temporary and ineffective fix. Sure, the stray dog population will be significantly smaller throughout the Olympics, but there still will be dogs on the street, dogs that could be sick and can always reproduce. Until Sochi officials realize that their inhumane extermination practices are unproductive, thousands of dogs will continue to lose their lives in vain.
