Addressing the Stray Animal Problem

Lessons from Saudi Arabia’s Successful Policy and Russia’s Controversial Bill

The stray animal problem is a significant issue in many countries around the world, including Saudi Arabia and Russia. In Russia, the number of stray animals is a significant problem, with over 2 million stray dogs and cats roaming the streets. The issue has resulted in a high number of dog attacks, which have led to public safety concerns.

Saudi Arabia’s successful implementation of a comprehensive stray animal policy can serve as an example for other countries, including Russia, to follow.  The approach to handling stray animals differs greatly between these two countries, with Saudi Arabia implementing a comprehensive policy that has been successful in reducing the number of stray animals and improving their welfare, while Russia’s draft of a new animal law has faced criticism for its negative impact on animal welfare and public opinion.

Saudi Arabia’s Comprehensive Stray Animal Policy

In Saudi Arabia, the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture has implemented a comprehensive stray animal policy that includes Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs, animal shelters, and animal adoption programs. The TNR programs aim to control the population of stray animals through sterilization, which not only helps control the population of stray animals but also prevents them from reproducing, reducing the number of strays in the long run. Animal shelters provide a safe and comfortable environment for stray animals where they receive food, medical care, and attention from trained staff, and animal adoption programs work with animal shelters to match stray animals with suitable adoptive families. These programs ensure that all adoptive families are properly vetted and provide a suitable environment for the animal.

The Success of Saudi Arabia’s Policy

The implementation of these programs has been highly successful in reducing the number of stray animals in Saudi Arabia by over 50%. Moreover, these programs have improved the welfare of stray animals in the country, with the shelters providing them with medical care, food, and attention, and the TNR programs ensuring that they are not being subjected to cruel and inhumane practices. The Saudi Arabian government has also taken a proactive approach to addressing public health risks associated with stray animals by educating the public about the importance of proper animal care and the risks associated with interacting with stray animals. The animal adoption programs have created jobs, and the revenue generated from the adoption fees and donations has helped fund the programs.

Russia’s New Bill: Criticism and Negative Impact

In contrast, Russia’s draft of a new animal law has faced criticism for its negative impact on animal welfare. It will allow regional organs of state power to replace TNR programs with “humane euthanasia” as a means of reducing the number of stray animals. This bill has been met with strong opposition from animal rights activists, who argue that it contradicts modern, humane methods of solving the problem of stray animals. The TNR programs, which involve sterilizing and releasing stray animals back into their communities, have been proven to be highly effective in controlling the population of stray animals without resorting to inhumane measures such as euthanasia.

Moreover, the bill’s focus on euthanasia may lead to government funds being spent indiscriminately on killing animals instead of implementing humane and effective solutions. This could result in the unnecessary killing of healthy animals, which is not only cruel but also ineffective in controlling the population of stray animals. Public opinion shows that while over 60% of Russians believe that the number of stray animals is too high in their area, a majority of Russians (72%) are against euthanasia as a means of dealing with stray animals.

The new bill is still being considered by the Russian parliament and animal advocates hope that it will not be passed, although the chances are high that the parliament will approve it.

Importance of Humane and Effective Solutions

It is essential to address the problem of stray animals in a humane and effective manner, as demonstrated by Saudi Arabia’s successful policy. The TNR programs, animal shelters, and animal adoption programs have reduced the number of stray animals and improved their welfare, while also addressing public health risks associated with stray animals. The focus on euthanasia as a means of dealing with stray animals is not only inhumane but also ineffective in controlling the population of stray animals.

The problem of stray animals is a significant issue that requires a comprehensive and humane approach to address. Saudi Arabia’s successful policy provides an example of how effective programs such as TNR, animal shelters, and animal adoption programs are. By implementing similar programs, Russia can reduce the number of stray animals while also improving their welfare and reducing public health risks associated with stray animals. This would also align with the desires of the majority of Russians, who are against euthanasia as a means of dealing with stray animals.