So I read an article about stray dogs being killed in Baghdad.
The Baghdad dog-culling program comprises two vets, a council official and a police officer armed with a shotgun. The vets distribute bits of meat poisoned with strychnine. If the poison doesn’t kill the dogs, the police officer steps in with the shotgun. (Arwa Damon)
This poses an interesting issue, as do all cases involving the rights and treatment of animals. There are thousands upon thousands of stray dogs running around the streets of Baghdad. They are hungry, injured, and desperate. Everyone knows that this can provoke animal attacks.
Also, there is a lack of resources and medicine to support the area. So, when these dogs bite, disease spreads, and people die. This also implies that there are not enough resources to vaccinate and neuter all the stray dogs. It’s a sad situation to say the least.
Personally, I love animals, to death one could say. I want to be an animal cruelty investigator, rehabilitate the orangutans in Borneo, and help out the pandas in China. I have two dogs and two cats myself. When I think about losing one of them, it is comparable to losing a friend. Of course, if it was up to me, there would be an infinite amount of money, supplies, and kind people willing to adopt all of the stray animals in the world. Still, I can not judge the actions of others when I am not in there situation.
You can spin the story any you would like. You could say, “Countless strays on the streets of Baghdad are being fed poison. They take a bite, their tail twitches, their bodies seize, and their insides are set ablaze until they take their last breath. If that doesn’t work, they are instead fed a healthy portion of shotgun bullets at close range.”
You could also say, “A widespread outbreak of disease and famine has hit the streets of Baghdad. Overwhelming amounts of stray dogs are attacking local citizens in hopes of food. Pairs of teams, consisting of a vet and a police officer, are trying to control the problem. Without enough medical resources to take care of their citizens, their is only one option: put these injured and desperate animals out of their misery.”
It all depends on how you read into it. I can not say that the vets and police officers are doing anything wrong. If anything, they are doing their jobs and trying to preserve and protect human life. I’m sure that it is not an enjoyable job, and if some do enjoy it…well, the world needs all types of people.
If I even accidentally step on my dogs tail, his whimper alone makes me feel like a horrible person, but like I said, I can’t judge other people. Look at it this way. Would you rather give a stray and starving dog a quick and seemingly painless death, or allow them to run around and maybe injure a child. I do think that being poisoned sounds like a horribly painful way to die, but it may be cheaper for those who lack other more humane resources. You see? I just spun that phrase the way I wanted it to sound.
Overall, this seems like one of those “Something’s Gotta Give” type situations. You can’t have one without the other. It is a sad situation, but it sounds like it is being dealt with in the best manner possible. I’m sure that if packs of wild and rabid dogs were running around the streets of Austin eating human flesh, then people would be up in arms to put the dogs down.
I’ll end with this. Last year my professor told me an interesting story. For a few summers, he would go out and do some ranch work with one of his buddies in the Midwest. He said that sometimes a stray dog or two would approach the area they were repairing fence in. His buddy would call the puppy over sweetly, and when it was close enough, fire a shot into the animal. At the time, my professor thought this was a bit crazy and extreme, but his friend explained that there have been plenty of wild dogs running around. Some even traveled in packs, killed livestock, and attacked people. If that doesn’t break your heart, then this might. My granddad grew up in rural Ireland. He found a stray and befriended it. However, other neighbors started reporting accounts of their livestocks showing up dead. Long story short, he was forced to put his pooch in a burlap sack, tie it up, and throw it in the river.
People have different lifestyles and different circumstances. I wouldn’t hold anything against anyone in any of these situations. I’ll admit that the video of the US marine that threw a puppy off a cliff infuriated me, but I don’t know what war is like and how it changes people either. Perhaps, in war, it is better to have a soldier willing to end the life of an adorable puppy fighting on your side, but I won’t get into that.
I support the SPCA in their effort to vaccinate and neuter the stray dogs. If it is a viable option, then I am all for it. I also support the people of Baghdad. I’m sure that if anyone knows what is best, it is them.
