STRAY dogs should be shot dead, demanded councillors yesterday, claiming that the catch, neuter and release initiative had failed.
The Nationwide Dogs Help Scheme, which was launched in October last year, has been suspended amidst claims that only 83 of an estimated 30,000 stray dogs in Bahrain have been caught in the past four months.
The companies tasked with the responsibility of implementing the campaign had expressed their inability to carry out the task and returned the cages used to catch the animals to the Southern Municipality.
“The Interior Ministry has to start shooting stray dogs – and to hell with animal rights,” shouted Southern Municipal Council technical committee chairman Mohammed Al Bulooshi, during the council’s weekly meeting yesterday.
“Humans come first; when people live in fear, spraying the dogs with bullets is the only option,” he said.
He was reacting to council chairman Ahmed Al Ansari who suggested seeking help from foreign experts to deal with the issue humanely.
The scheme consisted of catching and examining strays, which were then released after being neutered at a private veterinary clinic to stop them from reproducing.
The campaign was launched as a result of urgent requests from Bahrain’s three municipal councils and the Capital Trustees Board following complaints from the public.
It was being carried out in co-ordination with the Bahrain Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BSPCA).
The Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Ministry had tasked cleaning companies Urbaser Bahrain to round up stray dogs in the Northern and Southern governorates while Gulf City Cleaning Company was given the responsibility in the Muharraq and Capital governorates.
“Cleaners are not trained to deal with stray dogs and since the animals move in packs, catching one means the others are let off the hook,” said Mr Al Ansari.
“Only 83 dogs out of an estimated 30,000 have been caught across Bahrain since October and with the high reproduction rate even in 15 years we will not achieve anything and will be burdened with a more serious problem.”
In October last year, Dutch organisation Ani Medics estimated there could be as many as 4.2 million stray dogs in Bahrain by 2021.
“I don’t see any solution; I think we need to bring experts from the outside to deal with the dogs humanely,” said Mr Al Ansari.
However, he was caught off guard by his colleagues as they demanded the police start shooting stray dogs, claiming that the new national catch, neuter and release programme was a failure.
“Some female volunteers came to remodel old homes in Riffa but when they saw the bad living conditions they started crying,” said Mr Al Bulooshi.
“I thought they were sympathising with the residents, until one of them asked: ‘How are the poor cats managing to live here?’”
Council services and public utilities committee chairman Bader Al Tamimi said animal rights activists needed to wake up and realise they were siding with the “oppressors” and not those facing injustice.
“Animal rights campaigners cry over the animals’ plight but ignore people who are bitten or chased by the savage beasts,” he said.
“It is time to take action because the situation has got out of hand with attacks on worshippers at mosques, cattle and poultry at farms. People are unable to leave their homes to even go for morning prayers because they fear they wouldn’t come back alive.
Cases
“The BSPCA has filed several cases at the Public Prosecution against people who defended themselves against attacks – this shows how twisted the thinking is.”
Council financial, administrative and legislative committee chairman Mohammed Al Khal suggested interested animal groups in Southeast Asia be invited to Bahrain to help take away the dogs.
“People in Southeast Asia like dogs so they can help us catch them and flown to their homeland where they would get the care and love they need.”
The GDN previously reported that several stray dogs were found dead in many Bahraini villages after allegedly being poisoned and cases have been filed at the Public Prosecution.
The ministry and BSPCA were unavailable for comment yesterday despite being contacted by the GDN.
mohammed@gdn.com.bh
&uuid=(email))