As we’ve previously noted here at Dogblog, Moscow has a lot of stray dogs — around 26,000 of them. Some are friendly, and ride escalators and trains around town. Others, though, are aggressive and attack humans.
But the city’s plan to round up all the dogs and ship them 150 miles away from the city met with stiff opposition from animal rights activists, with some Russian celebrities also weighing in. They compared the plan to “concentration camps for dogs” and said it would put the dogs in a disease-ridden environment.
Though the city government was supposed to approve the plan last night, it apparently did not take a vote. It claims to have spent roughly $45 million on sterilization, shelters, and other measures, but critics say that much of the money is unaccounted for.
Activists propose an independent body to advise city government, more oversight on dog breeders, and more education and access to sterilization programs for dog owners.
