Bucharest, Romania Proposes Law That Would Legalize Killing Stray Dogs

bucharest stray dogs

It’s an abhorrent solution to an overwhelming problem.

Walk down any residential street in Romania’s capital and you are likely to encounter a member of Bucharest’s canine population — if not a whole pack of them. Banding together in groups of three or four, or even more, the dogs treat the city as their own, wandering freely, even hopping on and off public transport.

But these days, Romania’s stray dogs are increasingly seen as a threat. The Romanian Parliament is currently debating legislation that could lead to the euthanizing of thousands of stray dogs. Since 2007, the Animal Protection Act has outlawed the killing of these canines. But following the death of a woman attacked by dogs in Bucharest earlier this year, some lawmakers want that ban reversed.

It is estimated that 40,000 pooches live on the streets of Bucharest, although local authorities say the number is closer to 100,000. While lethal attacks have been extremely rare, 8,348 people in the capital were treated for bites by stray dogs in 2010, according to the National Institute of Infectious Diseases in Bucharest.

People blame former Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu for the homeless pups. In 1984, he razed the historic town center to create the House of the Republic, now the Palace of Parliament. As a result, an estimated 40,000 families were relocated to modern apartment buildings in which pets were forbidden. So they abandoned them to the streets.

If passed, the new amendment will put the ultimate decision on how to tackle the problem into the hands of local authorities, with euthanasia as one option.

Romanian law defines euthanasia as the administering of a humane lethal injection. But animal rights activists say that cheaper methods have been employed.

“We have seen photographs as well as videos showing dogs being killed with metal bars, electrocuted and having their throats slashed,” said Marcela Pisla, president of Cutu-Cutu, an animal rights organization that has been active in organizing public protests and lobbying against the amendment.

Even if the initiative passes, and more dogs die, it won’t convince everyone that these canines are dangerous and should be put down.

“Dogs are the innocent victims in this situation,” said one Bucharest resident, Mihaela, who declined to give her full name.

“Humans have the power and this power should not be abused.”

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Julie
Julie
12 years ago

The fact is that this situation was created by people. The dogs did not ask for this, they do not have choices. Every animal has a right to live it’s life and in Spain where I live, we also have a stray dog situation, although here they are persecuted

The answer is spaying and neutering, even just neutering the males which is a much smaller operation. Eventually the numbers of strays would diminish, but of course this requires resources and would cost a lot more than killing them

In Athens they have employed mass poisoning, a horrible way for an animal to die. It’s all for the convenience of human beings

donna
donna
12 years ago

its not the dogs to blame people are thay had the pets, and just throw them away, when it suits them.have all the dogs done, we have the same problame in canada.

Angelhimm
Angelhimm
12 years ago

Dogs should never be treated as a disposable objects. They are living creatures, and wherever they may roam, the city should elect a council to gather up the dogs and put them up for adoption. Executing is not a solution to over population. Would they execute the homeless people once they started to over populate?

Anonymous
Anonymous
12 years ago

Better yet, why not pass a law to Execute the idiots that don’t spay and neuter their pets.

Cjustpeachie
Cjustpeachie
12 years ago

HOW SAD!! WILL THIS WORLD NEVER LEARN

anoni
anoni
12 years ago

I live in Bucharest and those dogs need to be killed ASAP.

I am enraged to see so many comments saying ‘the dogs didn’t ask for this’ or ‘they should be neutered’. If you people really love animals, go protect wild endangered species like the rhinoceros or gorilla that really need our help. Dogs on the other hand are more numerous on this planet than humans. Have the people that have been killed and maimed by these dogs asked for this? Neutering is more expensive and lasts too long it is not enough.

You bunch of silly hippies!!! You seem to think all animals should be treated like humans. In nature, animals kill each other as part of the way nature works. Would you want to go and protect every deer and every antelope from getting eating? Cruelty to your own pets or to wild animals that live in THEIR home is abhorrent, not so for those living in YOUR home. And those dogs are not anyone’s pets, they are a plague. Whether the plague was caused by man or not doesn’t change the fact they there a plague.

When hippies like you start shouting to protect animals when the sensible action is NOT to protect them, proper environmentalists loose their credibility because of you!

I wish they would put a bounty on each dog’s head!

Shoes And Dogs
Shoes And Dogs
12 years ago

So disturbing to read about this.  I know that it is a big problem and difficult to find a way to deal with it, but this is not the solution!  It’s inhumane and unfeeling.  How could anyone live with themselves knowing that they had any part in this decision or carrying out the horrific crime!

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