Cruelty to Animals Can't be a Solution To Dangerous Dog Problem in Society

Thanks to Humane Society International (HSI) for raising a voice against cruelty to animals. Having read my post regarding insane act of Peru Government, some of the readers expressed their gut feelings through emails.

There was again a similar incidence that happened some weeks ago, about mass killing of over 200 dogs in Baghdad. The campaign started on Sunday November 23 2008 in western Baghdad. An incredible number of over 200 stray dogs have been killed in the most cruel way by keeping them at the gun point or poisoning them to death. This was an approach by the authority to reduce the number of ferocious dogs that had bitten 13 people in Baghdad on August 2008. Nobody can deny the necessity of culling off the dangerous dogs in the society, but this cannot be a way. While some were cruelly shot to death, others were poisoned. These approaches are the examples of the world's most callous deeds and cruelty to animals. Although the Humane Society International sent out a letter to the Prime Minister and other administrative persons, no responses have yet been reverted back.

Kelly O'Meara, the director of international programs for Humane Society International said, "When we send these kinds of letters, it takes time to get a response". Kelly also added, "When there's media attention, as there was on this, they usually shut it down immediately. They don't want to be looked at in a bad light in the eyes of the international community".

Dr. Hassan Chaloub, an official at the veterinary hospital, who supervised the campaign, said that three teams of veterinarians and police officials were on the mission of killing dogs in Baghdad by poisoning and shooting them. Although under Saddam Hussein, authorities used to kill stray dogs in the capital almost every year in the way they have been killed this time, but the practice was put to an end by implementing legal bindings in 2003. Since then, the number of strays in Baghdad have been counted to over one thousand, which made them take the decision of killing dogs in the way they did.

This really sounds cheap... be it any type of animals. HSI officials have suggested a better way, a “Holistic Approach” to control such dangerous problem in the society. Although these approaches do not work as fast as shooting and poisoning dogs down to death, but these are still very effective. Spaying and Neutering is the best way to control stray dog population. Officials of Humane Society International have recommended “euthanasia” by qualified people, instead of killing them in the cruel manners.

Cruelty to Animals can't be a solution to any problems - including Dangerous Dog Problem in Society.