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January 28, 2025

City dogs in the line of death / Faranaz Kamali

 

Farnaz
Farnaz Kamali

Street dogs, stray dogs, or urban dogs? The terms “street dog” or “stray dog” are not correct and are against animal rights. These are urban dogs that live in urban environments and have always lived alongside humans; from the time when cities were small and underdeveloped until today. In fact, their home is right there; even though now cities are not alleys and houses are not villas. Simply imagining them as street dogs causes harm to the animal and means pushing them away from ourselves.

Of course, in a society where humans are being oppressed and their rights are being violated, we cannot expect animal rights to be recognized. On the other hand, in the teachings of Islam and the laws and regulations of the Islamic Republic of Iran, dogs are considered unclean beings.

In recent years, the order to slaughter and confiscate dogs, which is a blatant violence in society, has been given by officials, with municipalities having the most role in this slaughter. There is no accurate statistics on the number of dogs killed, but it is said that Tehran with more than ten thousand and Mashhad with more than eight thousand and five hundred killed dogs, currently have the highest number of killings.

Following protests by animal lovers and animal rights activists, the killing of dogs was temporarily halted, but not in all cities. A video from Shiraz showed that the killing of dogs in this city was carried out in the most brutal way possible, using acid. Now, in addition to the extermination of stray dogs, some municipalities are attempting to capture and relocate these dogs. After being captured, a large number of dogs are taken to warehouses, including one in Kahrizak, which is said to be a desert where animals only suffer. In these warehouses, extermination also takes place. Apparently, some municipalities only capture these dogs to avoid public scrutiny and carry out the killings away from the eyes of the public and animal rights activists, in order to maintain a positive image.

With the current trend that municipalities have adopted, talking about using satellite tracking for monitoring the vaccination of city dogs seems more like a joke.

In addition, the lack of universal education and cultural awareness has resulted in some people collaborating with the municipalities in this violence against these dogs…

In this regard, we have approached several animal lovers and activists. Sepehr Salimi, Sajjad Nedimi, Kefayat Kousha, Pejman Akbarzadeh, and Neda Amin have helped us in this conversation, which contains bitter points.

The main reasons for the slaughter of stray dogs by municipalities.

Pezhman Akbarzadeh speaks about a type of systematic government approach in dealing with animal attacks: “Apparently, they want to solve health problems in the fastest way possible, without considering other aspects. Apart from this issue, what is seen in Iran is a type of systematic and aggressive government approach towards animals; such as setting up ambushes near animal treatment centers and taking them away from their owners, which is extremely shocking. The Iranian government shows such behaviors in many other issues related to politics, human rights, or specific religions, but the issue of animals is by no means a threat to the Iranian government or its ideological foundations.”

According to Sepehr Salimi, the main reason for animal slaughter is economic reasons and the reasons presented in the media to defend this slaughter are not true. “These problems include health issues and creating chaos and fear of attack and bite by these animals, but some animal rights activists, including myself, believe that this slaughter is done for economic reasons and is financially profitable for the municipality contractors. This is why this plan has never been successful and this cycle continues to provide financial benefits for the dog killers.”

According to Sajjad Nedimi, the excuse for the massacre of dogs has been titled as controlling diseases such as rabies, hydatid and leishmaniasis. However, recently Mr. Najafi mentioned in a report broadcasted by the radio and television that the reason for the massacre is the fear of people from stray dogs!

In my opinion, the main reason for the slaughter of animals is ultimately a cultural and religious issue: “The culture of dealing with unrecognized breed dogs in Iran is fading. These dogs usually live in herds and are abandoned on the streets, in cities, villages, and deserts, and the municipality, under the slogan of fighting pollution and diseases such as rabies, kills them. Even in Iran, dogs with identification and owners who regularly visit veterinary clinics for check-ups are at risk of being seized and killed. This is a cultural and religious issue; as the term “dog catcher” is used for animal lovers.”

The process of killing stray dogs.

The article mentions various methods for slaughtering animals, some of which are very cruel: “Sometimes the city officials kill the city’s dogs with guns. Other times, contractors hired by the city, with the help of a few veterinarians who have signed contracts for money, first capture the dogs alive, and then kill them in a barn or a location outside the city using various methods such as injecting poison directly into the animal’s heart, suffocating them, and so on. A veterinarian in the city of Karaj, in collaboration with the city officials and as part of the city’s dog shelter program, kills the dogs in the most brutal way. It is said that he has drowned more than 80 puppies in a water tanker and killed the rest using various methods such as beating, poisoning, and gassing. Killing puppies with gas is also common. It is said that this veterinarian has been able to gain people’s cooperation in capturing and collecting dogs by using false advertising. A similar

Slaughter is carried out in different cities in various ways. Killing with the use of poisonous bait is one of these methods. Sepehr Salimi describes shooting animals with bullets as the most ruthless method; because sometimes the bullet causes the dog to be wounded instead of immediate death, and the injury accompanied by pain continues for the animal, causing it to suffer.

Neda Amin refers to the destruction with bullets, injecting ketamine into the heart, gas chambers, and baiting with poison. She says there are barns where dogs are gathered and transferred there, and they are kept hungry and thirsty for days until their own animal gradually dies, or they are handed over to zoos and thrown alive in front of other animals to be both destroyed and provide food for other carnivorous animals, so that they will no longer need to pay any expenses.

Sajjad Nedimi has also spoken about the methods of killing dogs in different areas: “In Mashhad, dogs are collected from various parts of the city by contractor vans, which are in the possession of dog catchers, over the course of a week. One van can collect close to 30 dogs in a day, and all the dogs are piled on top of each other in a painful manner, regardless of their size, age, or health, and are usually transferred to a warehouse on the same day or the next day (sometimes the dogs are left on the van for 24 to 48 hours until they are transferred to the warehouse). The collected dogs are all sentenced to death at the end of the week and are not given any food or water during this time. Many of them die from hunger and illness during this week, and sometimes the dogs are forced to feed on the carcasses of other dogs. In other areas such as Torghabeh and Shandiz,

Organizing urban dogs

Pezhman Akbarzadeh says: “They can be collected in a peaceful manner, medically examined, and a small plaque or earring can be attached to them to indicate that they have been medically controlled. Then a plan should be made for the next step; whether they want to neuter the animal or leave it in animal shelters until they decide to keep it or advertise to find a caregiver for it. Overall, considering the municipality’s approach, it seems that these violent groups are not benefiting from the cooperation or consultation of experts or activists in this field. If a type of collaboration between non-governmental and governmental organizations is established in this regard, it can be much more effective. Violent methods such as sudden shooting, poisoning, etc. are not only inhumane, but also leave a negative psychological impact on society.”

Sepaher Salimi has described the stages of urban dog management as follows: “In this regard, we must take advantage of global experiences and adapt them to the existing situation. Work has been done in the past years, but it has not always been accurate and complete. In the first step, we must pay attention to the fact that animal aversion and discomfort from the presence of dogs in urban environments have their roots in cultural and societal issues. We have asked ourselves why some people are dissatisfied with the presence of dogs in urban environments, but have no problem with sparrows?! The answer is clear. Because incorrect advertising has caused some citizens to have a negative view of this animal. Of course, these advertisements are done with various motivations. Therefore, the first step is to promote culture and eliminate animal aversion among people and citizens. This is the responsibility of all animal advocates in non-governmental and governmental sectors. In the second step, in line with the first stage, we must ensure

The above stages are most important in order from top to bottom, it is not possible to reach the next stage without completing the first stage and waiting for the result.”

The effective way to create sufficient shelters is to build and establish shelters like Vafa in Hashtgerd, where dogs are neutered after being transferred there and then, after examination and vaccination, are handed over to those who are willing to take care of them. He says that the cost of neutering is not much different from euthanasia and can be assisted by groups and community organizations.

Sajjad Nadeemi believes in controlling the population of animals logically, but not through slaughter: “There are many scientific methods and one of these methods is sterilization, which should be implemented alongside various educational programs for the public. This education must be mandatory through media and will yield the best results. The police and judiciary should also punish those who commit violence against stray dogs instead of just confiscating the dogs and their owners.”

Urban Dogs and the Environment

Is there any creature as harmful to the environment as humans?! This is a question raised by Neda Amin. Dogs, like other creatures in this world, have the right to live and do not cause any harm to humans and the environment. It must be said that just as we have the right to live in the city, they also have the right; because this land is not the ancestral heritage of humans to be solely possessed by them. Common diseases between humans and animals are few and limited, such as rabies, which can be clearly seen in the behavior and appearance of the animal and can be diagnosed. Dogs can only harm humans if they are infected with this disease and transmit it through contact with humans.

According to the belief of sufficiency, dogs are not considered a danger to humans and urban environments; although sick, stray, and aggressive dogs can be carriers of diseases, they can easily be captured and taken to designated shelters for treatment.

Sepher Salimi says: “Every living being has the right to life and access to living conditions. Dogs are part of our surrounding ecosystem. According to some sources, the history of domesticating dogs and living with them alongside humans dates back to 15,000 years, so living with dogs is not a new occurrence for humans. Among animals, dogs have always been the best friend and companion of humans, as mentioned in historical sources. Also, in today’s urban and industrial life, they have still been alongside humans. Humans, as the most powerful living being, have had the most impact and control over the environment through the use of machines, and these changes have often ended up harming humans. Therefore, if human interference leads to an increase in the number of dogs in an area, it is not the fault of the dogs and efforts should be made to address the problems caused by human interference. For example, the presence of garbage in an area can lead to an increase in the number of

Sajjad Nedimi, who has a 5-year history of working to rescue and provide assistance to dogs, rejects the idea of city dogs attacking and harming humans. “Dogs usually react and defend themselves against attacks from people. But as long as two-legged creatures do not harm or bother them, dogs will definitely not do anything to humans. These dogs only become a danger to humans when people do not behave properly towards them. In fact, municipalities are responsible for taking care of and organizing city dogs. One of the most important actions that municipalities and media in general should take is to promote and educate proper behavior when dealing with animals. Municipalities are obligated to work with non-governmental organizations to spay, vaccinate, and tag stray dogs. For example, construction debris created by humans causes the spread of sand flies, which then infect dogs with leishmaniasis. According to statistics from the Mashhad Health Organization, humans are the first carriers of leishmaniasis,

Created By: Farnaz Kamali
June 27, 2015

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Dog hunting Farnaz Kamali Injecting poison Monthly Peace Line Magazine Warehouse ماهنامه خط صلح