Indian authorities to poison 100,000 stray dogs

[Jenna]

Authorities in Indian Kashmir have begun poisoning stray dogs in an anti-rabies drive that aims to kill some 100,000 dogs in the region’s main city, officials said Thursday.

Animal rights activists vowed to go to court to stop the slaughter planned by Srinagar city, saying it is an illegal and cruel solution to a problem that could be better addressed with other methods.

With the world’s highest rabies fatality rate, India has grappled with ways to control the millions of stray dogs that live on its streets.

In Srinagar, city officials vowed to press ahead with the plan already under way to poison strays with strychnine.

“These dogs have become a big nuisance and they are threatening humans,” said Dr. Riyaz Ahmad, the Srinagar city health officer who is organizing the killing.

It was not clear Thursday how many dogs have already been killed.

Activists fight poisoning drive
Animal activists said they would try to stop the poisoning drive, said Javaid Iqbal Shah, the deputy head of the Srinagar Society to Prevent Cruelty to Animals.

Shah said using strychnine was particularly cruel, causing terrible suffering to the dogs, crippling their nervous systems and choking them.

“I have seen children cry when they pass by these dying dogs,” he said.

Shah said he had proposed the city sterilize strays instead but acknowledged that his organization had only managed to neuter 400 dogs in the last two years.

India accounts for more than 60 percent of the world’s estimated 35,000 annual rabies deaths, according to the World Health Organization, and stray dogs are often blamed.

In some areas, dogs form feral packs that have attacked people. However, other strays are “community pets,” semi-tame animals who are cared for and fed by local residents.

Other cities have struggled unsuccessfully to curb the stray-dog problem, with a variety of solutions.

India’s high-tech hub of Bangalore called off a drive to slaughter strays amid allegations that untrained workers were stoning, strangling and beating the dogs to death.

In New Delhi, one city councilor suggested shipping the country’s strays to Korea, where dog meat is considered a delicacy.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23500493/

[Wolven]

Hey..why don't we try and find a solution that doesn't include killing them. IT is the damn stupid humans that allowed this to happen and now the dogs pay for it? People suck.

[MacLean]

Hey..why don't we try and find a solution that doesn't include killing them. IT is the damn stupid humans that allowed this to happen and now the dogs pay for it? People suck.

Read the numbers again.

100,000 and RABIES are key points to this story.

Human life comes first, always.

[Wolven]

Read the numbers again.

100,000 and RABIES are key points to this story.

Human life comes first, always.

I understand that my dear...truly I do. My point is that the problem would not have gotten out of hand had the humans managed the problem to begin with. Instead of managing it so it didn't get out of control...they let things go status quo and then said, "opps..a problem...let's just kill them all". My problem is not that things should not be handled...because it sounds like they do have a problem..my problem lies in the way it was handled.

But, as always, your opinions are valued. (even if you think I am a tree huggin, granola makin', tofu eatin' hippie LOL)

[MacLean]

I understand that my dear...truly I do. My point is that the problem would not have gotten out of hand had the humans managed the problem to begin with. Instead of managing it so it didn't get out of control...they let things go status quo and then said, "opps..a problem...let's just kill them all". My problem is not that things should not be handled...because it sounds like they do have a problem..my problem lies in the way it was handled.

But, as always, your opinions are valued. (even if you think I am a tree huggin, granola makin', tofu eatin' hippie LOL)

I agree that the problem happened before the births of the dogs, and join you in calling for responsible spay and neuter solutions.

Even as a tree huggin, granola makin', tofu eatin' hippie - and by the way you left out dirt worshiper - after the fact, there is little choice but to destroy the animals to prevent the spread of rabies.

I'm no fan of the mistreatment of animals in any way, shape, or form - but I would personally shoot 100,000 dogs before I would watch one three year old die the horrible malingering death caused by rabies.

Rabies is about the worse way to go I can possibly imagine.