Animal rights activist accuses municipal dogcatchers of skinning strays for fur

06.02.2009 17:01
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Valentina Dudnic, the head of an animal rights association called Alga, protested today outside the Chisinau City Hall building to condemn the municipality's attitude towards the stray dogs. The woman brought dog furs with her, which she said were bought at the central market, Info-Prim Neo reports. “They say they're giving them vaccines, but in fact they're killing them. They pick them by color and then skin them alive for fur. You can't skin a dead dog, you know. The furs are selling at the Central Market for 450 lei apiece. Besides furs, they also sell canine grease”, said the protester. Valentina Dudnic says all her outcries are falling on deaf ears. “I've been sending numerous letters to a host of institutions, I've been protesting, but no one would listen”, complains the woman. In a press release issued today by the PR division of the City Hall, the municipal authorities denied the allegations. “By making such statements, Ms. Valentina Dudnic is misleading the public opinion, and the concerned persons can verify it by going to the dog compound on Uzinelor Street”, it was said. The press release adds that the City Hall together with an Austrian animal rights association will soon launch a project to sterilize, disinfect and vaccine stray dogs against rabies. The municipality has already identified the location for the project, while the Austrian foundation is to provide the equipment and a mobile clinic. It is supposed that 40 dogs will be sterilized each day and then tattooed for identification.