On January 28th WSPA Adressed Tbilisi Mayor Mr Gigi Ugulava with regards of recently announced "Anti Stray Operation in Tbilisi".

Dr Elly Hiby
Head of Companion Animals
EllyHiby@wspa-international.org
Tel: +44 (0) 20-7587-5030

Mr. Gigi Ugulava
Tbilisi Mayor
Shartava
St. 7
TBILISI
Georgia 380169






January 28th of 2009

Dear Mayor Ugulava

Re: Stray dog control, Tbilisi

I am writing to you on behalf of the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA), the world’s largest alliance of animal welfare organisations. Our aim is to improve animal welfare and prevent cruelty worldwide, in collaboration with our network of nearly 1000 member societies in more than 150 countries. WSPA is the only animal welfare organisation to have consultative status at the United Nations and the Council of Europe, and we work in conjunction with the World Health Organisation on stray dog population management. It has come to my attention that you plan to carry out an “Anti Stray Operation” in Tbilisi between 1 st February and 1st April, which will involve the mass killing of stray dogs. If this is your intention, then I urge you to reconsider.
WSPA has more than 30 years’ experience in the field of dog population management and considers the mass killing of stray dogs to be an unsafe and ineffective method, which fails to address the problems posed by dog populations.

With human rabies incidence increasing annually in Georgia, I understand there is an urgent need to effectively manage the dog population to protect both human and animal health. In 2007, the Georgian Centre for Disease Control presented at a rabies conference organised by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the World Health Organisation (WHO), and the European Union, concluded that Georgia’s stray dog population control need to be “updated according to international standards” I enclose the International Companion Animal Management (ICAM) Coalition’s guidance on humane dog population management. WSPA would be pleased to provide further advice on how to develop an effective stray control programme, which would bring Tbilisi in line with international standards and could potentially act as a model for the country.

At this same conference, it was agreed that “animal vaccination remains the method of choice to control and eradicate rabies. For ethical, ecological and economical reasons, the Conference considered that it is not advisable to control and eradicate disease outbreaks only by applying killing campaigns of potentially infected animals” (OIE/WHO/EU).
To conduct a “catch-and-kill” campaign for the purpose of controlling Tbilisi’s dog
animals population or preventing a rabies outbreak would be in complete opposition to this advice. Furthermore, you may in fact increase the risk to human health - evidence from scientific studies and disease eradication programmes suggests that the mass killing of dogs can actually increase disease transmission due to the destabilising effects this has on the population.

In addition, a significant proportion of these “stray” dogs may be roaming owned
dogs. Hence, not only will mass killing result in international condemnation, it will also alienate the people of Tbilisi, and certainly discourage dog owners from cooperating with the authorities in future interventions.

To sustainably manage the dog population, both owned and stray dogs need to be addressed through a comprehensive programme which engages all stakeholders. In 2006 WSPA, together with the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) International, commissioned a study of dog population control practices across Europe. The study found that European countries that have successfully managed their stray dog population have the following measures in place:
Animal protection legislation, which is enforced to protect animals from cruelty and abandonment. All pet dogs are required to be registered, identified and under control.

Responsible pet ownership - including neutering and vaccination - is proactively encouraged and supported.

There is a clear and humane policy on the collection and management of stray dogs (which includes a statutory holding period, and may include selective euthanasia of those animals found to be suffering or those that pose a risk to human health, as assessed according to strict criteria and using internationally recognised humane methods of euthanasia). The sale and breeding of companion animals (in pet shops, markets or by commercial breeders) is strictly regulated.

WSPA would encourage you to consider the success of these strategies and develop a programme that is appropriate for Tbilisi, in line with European standards. May I reiterate, WSPA would be pleased to advise further, and I encourage you to consider the offer of WSPA member society, the Animal Rights Committee, who would be
very happy to provide guidance and practical support to the Tbilisi City Administration. As the authority ultimately responsible for the safety of the citizens of Tbilisi, I urge you to lead the way in coordinating a modern, effective, dog population management programme that will safeguard both human and animal welfare.


We look forward a reply at your earliest convenience.

Sincerely



Dr Elly Hiby
Head of Companion Animals



Cc: Tinatin Chavchanidze, Animal Rights Committee Georgia, arc@nimalrights.ge

Zaal Begashvili, Chairman of the Tbilisi City Assembly


Humane Dog Populatio
Enc/ International Companion Animal Management Coalition (ICAM) (2007)
Management Guidance.

Reference:

1
Rabies control and prevention in Georgia: current status and perspectives. Imnadze, P. et al. National Centre for Disease Control, Tbilisi, Georgia. 2007
2
OIE/WHO/EU Towards the Elimination of Rabies in Eurasia http://www.oie.int/eng/press/en_070530.htm