News

In 2007 Tbilisi city Mayor�s Office announced decision to address the issues of stray animals. Specifically, through the Rustavi 2 TV channel, plans to �control� the population of stray dogs in the city of Tbilisi. The description of their planned methods and approach to the problem left Animal Rights Committee Georgia (ARC) concerned about poor understanding of the issue. Furthermore, the TV program informed the public that dogs will be apprehended using outdated and barbaric methods and even showed a sample of the metal dog collection instruments, which are traditionally associated with catching and killing.
During the TV program, Koba Subeliani, that time Head of the City Improvement Service, stated that euthanasia would be used on �unhealthy� dogs. The methods of euthanasia, however, were not described nor did he provide information about the medical team involved in the program. He also did not outline the city�s approach to comprehensively solving the issue of stray dogs.
In spring 2007 ARC representatives met with Mr. Subeliani to discuss the city�s plans and offer the organization�s assistance in project planning and implementation. In particular, ARC suggested involving professional veterinarians, who had participated in ARC�s sterilization training, and offered to coordinate a professional advisory team to assist in running this complex project. ARC underscored that spaying and neutering is accepted worldwide as the most humane and civilized way to control stray dog populations in urban areas. Nonetheless, these efforts were in vain, as the city never responded to these offers. Now ARC has learned that the city administration intends to go ahead with this barbaric project that ignores all professional and ethical norms.
On 1 May 2007 Tbilisi Mayor Gigi Ugulava announced that the first veterinarian clinic to deal with the identification/medical check and sterilization of stray dogs is now operational. He specified that euthanasia will be used only for critically ill animals and also noted that, after being sterilized, dogs will be released back to those areas where they were taken from.
First time, ARC members visited the clinic in summer 2007, two managers and approximately 20 perceived employees of the clinic could not respond to general questions regarding their activities, including the day-today dynamic of their work, leaving ARC extremely concerned about their professional abilities and knowledge of their duties. Moreover, during the one-day visit, not a single dog was brought in for identification or treatment. ARC believes that this so-called vet clinic was established as a front to hide the ongoing catch-and-kill practices performed by specially formed mobile crews.
Second time we went to monitor Clinic #1 in March 2008. We were accompanied by our foreign supporters, either on mission or residing in Georgia. Their presence was crucially important, because otherwise Clinic staff rejected to speak with us. We again tried to persuade Manager that ARC needs full monitoring access to Clinic performance, especially citing on the information that their facility in Orkhevi district of Tbilisi is directly involved in en-mass killing of caught animals. Probably due to the presence of foreigners, Manager agreed in principle to give monitoring access.

Since our March joint visit to # 1 VET clinic I repeatedly called clinic manager and staff. I wanted to set the date/time for agreed monitoring by ARC Georgia of stray dog catch and transportation process conducted by the dog catching shift, as well as dog health condition check & treatment in the clinic, including handling of possible cases for euthanasia. I believe that during our fist visit we got the promise of the manager to allow unlimited access for pilot monitoring of clinic performance. As I recall this was pre condition from us meant for continuing our considerations for possible future cooperation. We definitely need to do this to shed at least some light on otherwise very secretive work style of the clinic.

After that I met manager, but he declined to allow monitoring. Manager continuously hinted that a lot of �very high ranking people in Tbilisi Major�s office have a hand in VET clinic #1 project.

In parallel, I officially obtained tender agreement and materials from city Mayor�s office. From which it became apparent that none of tender conditions have been fulfilled by the Clinic #1. I also inquired whether Mayor�s office monitor or oversight their performance and got the answer that relevant officials did so and no irregularities had been detected in clinic # 1 work. It should be added, that tender was not transparently and publicly announced.

Altogether, for now it was practically confirmed that VET clinic bans insight into their �kitchen�, fearing inevitable leak on information on cruelty, negligence, or alleged embezzlement of government funds. All that is exacerbated by the lack of any noticeable VET skills, and absence of expertise in animal / stray dog population control problems.

At this point, ARC received information from Orkhevi local residents, and GSPCA, that on the territory of the branch of VET Clinic # 1 mass, barbarian killing have apprehended dogs was going on. Residents referred to screams coming from Clinic # 1 compound, as well as permanent traces of blood and corpses of killed animals in the area.

In early May 2008, ARC mobilized TV crew of Channel 1 � public broadcaster, as well as several foreigner volunteers and GSPCA staff and went to the Orkhevi clinic #1 compound. They confirmed and recorded in full scenes of barbaric catch-and-kill process taking place there. The reportage on this topic, with full display of information and images went on air on 30th May 2008, in during the program �7 days�

Attached CD and supplementary text (English translation) provides full record of the reportage by Georgian Public Broadcaster TV on 8 June 2008.

It displays record of on site monitoring of collection and transfer of stray dogs to special facility in Tbilisi, conducted by Tbilisi municipal structures and VET clinic # 1. To full extend reportage is self-explanatory.

CONCLUSIONS

VET clinic #1, chosen by the government to implement progressive methods of sterilization and stray animal population control, is engaged in fraud and deception of public and employs barbaric methods of catch-and-kill. We are providing videotape confirming existence of these awful practices.

� Municipal policy: non transparent tendering, establishment and funding of clinic 1.
� Clinic 1: understaffed, non-professional and non-transparent. Is used to cover up alleged embezzlement. VET professional work is not traced.
� Inability of the city administration to introduce reasonable stray animal control methods.
� Catch � kill practice remains on place. More time passes, lesser will be chance to remedy situation. Catch-kill can not be tolerated.
� ARC offers in-house monitoring of clinic 1 to assess and estimate scope of the problems. Report will be provided to the city administration.
� ARC, standing on clinic 1 monitoring results and through direct engagement with city administration, and with the help of foreign partner organizations, can offer methodological and practical support to city administration to introduce modern and humane stray animal population control technologies.
� Special emphasis on the obligation taken by Georgia in the process of Euro-Atlantic integration. Special focus and environmental and civil society protection mechanisms as the pass towards European standards.