Sochi puppies

[Catherine]

I think the pictures speak for themselves and I hope the publicity helps protect the dogs and find them homes.
http://www.canada.com/olympics/gallery/g...-crackdown

As with other places they have been trying to cull the strays(a polite way to say kill). I think pictures like this might do some good and you have to admit, they are nice looking dogs.

[AnimalFamily]

It would be so wonderful if each of these little sweethearts found a home. Drawing attention to the matter should certainly help. Who can resist such sweet little innocent creatures?

[Tobi]

I tried 3 times to load this, all I got was a beautiful picture of Moscow...
I will try later when traffic online slows down, everyone goes to bed (!) and maybe I'll get to the puppies!

[LPC]

The pictures loaded OK for me. This situation is similar to the situation in Romania. There is always a last minute knee jerk reaction, with poor innocent animals being killed needlessly. If neutering and rehoming had been implemented a long time ago, the authorities would not have been in this situation now. That is still the best solution, and would satisfy public opinion. What delighful puppy pictures! They deserve loving homes!

[Tobi]

I agree, LPC.

Well I got the pics loaded this time. The whole 'dog family' is lovely.

So sad....the Russian government's idea to 'cull' the dogs. They are treating them like so much rubbish littering the streets and making the place look untidy...
Whereas if someone had organised some proper help for them, and charity run spay/neuter clinics, there would not be a problem like this with the homeless dogs.

By the way -what IS that word 'cull'? Why is it used when the word they really mean is 'kill'? It's used too much. That word is too euphemistic.
It's good that animal rights activists are trying to help as best they can.

[Libby]

This picture with quote below has been making it's rounds on facebook. It's sad that they can't just relocate them or something. I can understand wanting to get them out of the way but don't kill them.

   

Quote:The homeless dogs of Sochi, Russia, rely on the kindness of strangers to survive. This kindness can be seen in those who share their food with them, or even simply a tummy rub or a pat. It’s this kindness that has allowed the dogs to play in the local gardens, or doze peacefully in the warmth of the afternoon sun.

Sochi Winter Olympics officials promised kindness to the dogs in the lead-up to the games. They said that they would use part of their 50 billion dollar budget to build a shelter for the homeless animals, in a humane effort to ‘tidy’ the streets that would soon be flooded with tourists.

The start of the games is only days away, and the street dogs of Sochi are disappearing – but there is no shelter for them to go to. A local pest control company owner has revealed that he has been contracted to round up and slaughter Sochi’s homeless dogs who he describes as "biological trash" (http://ind.pn/1gLceaO). These vulnerable dogs need human kindness now, more than ever. TAKE ACTION for the strays of Sochi by sending Russia the message that compassion, not cruelty, is the best image an Olympic host country can project: http://www.AnimalsAustralia.org/sochi-dogs

[Catherine]

I am hoping that public opinion is strong enough to influence the situation.
The dogs could be relocated and I think many people would want them. It just takes more work. A mass killing is an easy solution, but it doesn't even help solve the problem. Finding homes and neutering the strays is a healthy long term solution.

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/20...rom-sochi/
People are trying to help.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-02-11...elter.html
Animal rights activists have worked very hard to fix things
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/olympi...ntpostform


This seems to be a practical advice site.
http://www.hsi.org/issues/street_dog/fac...nally.html

If everyone took home a dog it would solve the problem. I hope an airlift of Sochi dogs can be organized. They may be unwanted in Sochi, but they are wanted elsewhere.

[Tobi]

I signed that petition, Libby. Thank you for putting it on here.

The situation is so sad. Bless those dogs. All they are is homeless. They are not trash.

[Catherine]

From things I have read they are getting rescued. Some animal rights activists have taken some dogs to safety. Some will be adopted and taken home. I just hope as many dogs as possible find good homes.

I hope Russia takes this seriously and does the right thing. The fact that so many people are objecting to the killing should tell them tat this is not the way to deal with stray dogs. They should never have let so many dogs live as strays. They should have rescued them a long time ago.
As you say, they are just homeless, they are not trash...and they are not unwanted.