“In exceptional cases”: the possibility of euthanasia of stray dogs is being discussed in the Leningrad region

In the Leningrad region allowed the return of the practice of euthanizing stray dogs. This was announced by the head of the veterinary department of the 47th region Leonid Krotov.

Commenting on the position of the regional authorities, the official noted that we can talk about euthanasia only in exceptional cases: when the animal shows aggression, it poses a danger even after a civilized approach – sterilization. Moreover, according to him, murder during capture is categorically excluded – only lulling is possible.

Leonid Krotov added that during 2021 the number of neglected animals decreased by at least a thousand heads and is about 12 thousand. He connects this with the work of the local authorities – “the organization of trapping, systematic work on trapping, sterilization and vaccination of animals.”

He also announced a plan for 2022: it is planned to sterilize, vaccinate, chip and return about three thousand dogs to their natural habitat in the region. 52 million rubles will be allocated for this, and in addition, during the year, the regional authorities promise to add another 17 million.

At the same time, Krotov acknowledged that four of the eighteen districts of the Leningrad Region have not yet concluded new agreements with specialized organizations for the trapping, sterilization and vaccination of stray animals.

There are 15 officially registered shelters in the Leningrad region, which contain 2.5 thousand homeless animals.

Recall that earlier the chairman of the Investigative Committee (IC) of Russia, Alexander Bastrykin, instructed to analyze cases of attacks by stray dogs on people and prepare proposals for changing the law. The order was given “in connection with another case of the death of a child as a result of an attack by a pack of stray dogs.”