As many as 1,250 stray dogs were neutered in the capital city last year as part of a municipal program. The animals were vaccinated against rabies and microchipped. Most of the dogs were caught in Ciocana district, near factories. Another 208 stray dogs were sterilized in the framework of a project implemented by an international organization based in Austria.
Karl Luganov, acting head of the Animal Protection Unit of the Public Amenities Division, has told IPN that these data do not cover the suburban settlements of Chisinau. “There were few initiatives from suburban communities to sterilize stray dogs. I know that such projects concerning animals without an owner last year were implemented in Stăuceni, while this year will be undertaken in Vatra and Bubuieci,” stated Karl Luganov.
“The animals without an owner were caught for being spayed based on requests made by inhabitants of Chisinau. But employees of the Public Amenities Division went to catch stray dogs near garages or storerooms on their own initiative too. There are also volunteers who inform us in what parts of the city there are unsterilized dogs. After they are caught, these animals without an owner are taken to veterinary clinics where they are neutered, vaccinated against rabies, microchipped and are then taken back. The aggressive dogs are placed in animal shelters. There were also spayed over 450 cats without an owner.”
As part of another municipal project last year, there were neutered 600 pet cats and 200 pet dogs. The animals were microchipped and the owners received free permits for them.
Tender contests to launch similar projects in the first half of this year will be soon announced. As many as 1,000 dogs and 1,000 cats with an owner and 2,000 dogs without an owner are to be sterilized in the period.
