Extermination of homeless animals, unprecedented in it scope and cruelty, spread in Ukraine early in this year. In the cities of Uzhgorod, Chernigiv, Rivne, Simferopol and Kremenchuk, mass killing of animals is done in an atrocious way, causing their terrible suffering – by shooting poison from pneumatic weapons. Adults and children become eyewitnesses to this cruelty, and it traumatizes their mentality.
An excuse for such flagrant, antihuman acts is single occurrence of rabies: in Uzhgorod, only
one sheepdog was ill – moreover, it was domestic; in Chernigiv, a wild fox was found sick; in Simferopol, chickens were infected with poultry flu. However, rabies occurred in the past and still occurs sometimes in other cities and towns of Ukraine, and yet it does not cause mass killing of homeless dogs and cats.
Actions of local officials who made decisions to organize such slaughter are contrary to both international rules of law and effective legislation of Ukraine. All animals are killed – whether homeless or cared for, registered, vaccinated and sterile. Even home pets are shot – now and then before the very eyes of their owners. In that way local officials try to “resolve” the problem of homeless animals in Ukrainian cities. Instead of building shelters and taking measures for sterilization of animals, as is the case in Europe, Ukrainian officialdom prepared for the miserable ones a terrible death.
Animal-protecting organizations and all conscious Ukrainian public appeal to international human rights organizations and to all people of goodwill for help!
Tetiana Meteliova, President of the non-government organization “The Institute of modern problems of Ukraine” (Kyiv)
Vira Romanova, Chairman of Uzhgorod animal-protecting society “Help a friend” (Uzhgorod)
T. Miaskovska, Chairman of Trans-Carpathian regional non-government organization “Help a friend” (Uzhgorod)
O. Stoliarova, President of Chernigiv city association “Animal protection center” (Chernigiv)
P.S. Reports on the murderous deeds can be viewed in the Internet at the following addresses:
in Sumy:
http://www.proua.com/news/2007/07/19/125803.html
in Chernigiv:
http://www.ictv.ua/ukr/news_ukraine.php?news_id=108053
in Uzhgorod:
http://www.zik.com.ua/ua/news/2008/01/25/123366
http://ictv.ua/ukr/news_ukraine.php?news_id=108479
http://www.for-ua.com/ukraine/2008/01/30/071218.html
http://www.mukachevo.net/readnews.php?nid=13994
http://www.mukachevo.net/readnews.php?nid=14051
in Kremenchuk:
http://www.stb.ua/newsv.php?item.11490
Additional proofs and evidence are available upon request directly to local offices of animal-protecting non-government organizations.
RUS
UKR
