The public organization “JIVA”, which defends the rights of animals, sent an open letter to the Government and the Chisinau City Hall over the situation at the center for the sterilization of stray animals of Chisinau. In a news conference at IPN, one of the members of the organization Mihail Golovin said that despite the progress made in humanly solving the problem of animals without an owner, a lot of violence against these is yet witnessed.

Mihail Golovin said there is no database about the dogs brought to the sterilization center and this does not enable to appropriately monitor the situation. The center does not have a person responsible for the feeding of animals. This way, this duty is performed by the veterinarian, who has yet other tasks. There is no hotline that the people could use to ask to take and sterilize stray animals.

According to Mihail Golovin, the sterilization center should be moved away from the territory of the necropolis for animals. It is not right to build a health center for animals near the place where these are buried. Also, volunteers should have free access to the sterilization center so that they could become involved in animal sheltering or pet search campaigns.

Mihail Golovin noted that “JIVA” is ready to cooperate with the local authorities. It pledges to design a plan for laying out a temporary shelter that would house animals for the period during which volunteers would look for a home for them. An animal adoption website would be welcome.

“JIVA” president Irina Iakovenko said the Republic of Moldova is in the process of switching over from a violent approach to the human solving of the problem of animals without an owner. The initiative to sterilize stray dogs is good, but more will is needed in this regard. It is also necessary to promote a profound message of intolerance of the use of violence against animals.

Consultant of the organization Svetlana Sandler said the violent attitude to animals is dangerous. Recent studies showed that those who are violent towards animals can be easily violent towards humans too. The education of children so that they have a tolerant attitude to animals will lead to the condemnation of any form of violence.