A massive culling of Moscow’s stray dogs is planned by organizers who are vowing to “clean the city of the fanged beasts.”
The call went out on internet message boards for a massive cull of the dogs. Organizers have asked that supporters meet them at a metro station north of Moscow.
ABC News reports that from there they will fan out, going to parks and alleys where the stray dogs are known to sleep. They will lay out their trap for the creatures, which usually includes meat laced with deadly drugs.
Supporters of animal rights have also taken to social media to organize a counter-protest. Russian news agency RIA Novosti has announced that police will be on hand to “prevent cases of cruelty to animals.”
The event to cull Moscow’s stray dogs is being organized by a shadowy vigilante group often referred to as dog hunters. They are known to have killed more than 1,500 dogs in recent years, according to one animal rights group.
The group’s members exchange stories and tactics they use to kill the dogs. They also post pictures of the dogs they kill and link news reports of dog attacks from around the world.
International Science Times notes that Moscow’s stray dogs are a problem. One estimate has the population at one dog for every 300 residents of Russia’s capital city. They are also known for riding the subway. Dr. Andrey Poyarkov, a biologist who has studied the city’s stray dog’s for 30 years, stated:
“In Moscow there are all sorts of stray dogs, but … there are no stupid dogs. The street is tough and it is survival of the fittest. These clever dogs know people much better than people know them.”
The dog hunts in Moscow have drawn huge protests from dog owners and animal rights activists. Pet dogs have been known to fall victim to the poisoned meat. Dog owners took a stand last fall after more than 70 pets were sickened by poisoned meat in parks.