Bucharest Prefect Mihai Cristian Atanasoaei presented on Tuesday a law draft according to which the dogs found in Bucharest's shelters are to be eliminated if they fail to be adopted within seven days. The NGOs claim there are 40,000 stray dogs on the streets of Bucharest, while the city's council claims there are 100,000. In the first three months of the present year 2,175 people have been bitten by stray dogs.
In an online live chat with HotNews.ro readers, Atanasoaei detailed the conditions to adopt a dog, the costs of dog shelters and euthanasia.
His proposal is likely to be enforced 30 days after the publication in the Official Gazette. People who want to inquire about a dog that has an owner but that was captured by mistake or who want to inform on a stray dogs can do so at the local Veterinary units or at the services that manage stray dogs, he said.
"If all dogs without an owner from a town will be adopted by NGOs and individuals, there will be no more dogs left to euthanasia. We leave the communities to decide alone the fate of stray dogs. And here is where the NGOs will play an important role", he added.
According to him, anyone can adopt a dog, but those living in a flat will be able to adopt more than two dogs only if they obtain the agreement of the owner's association and proves that the animal has sufficient space. "our right to own cannot breech the neighbours' rights", Atanasoaiei claims.
The prefect said there were 11,000 people bitten in Bucharest alone last year. Their medical care cost around 400,000 euros and 1,320,000 euros in the last four years, he claims. Euthanasia for a dog costs 11 lei (around 3 euros). "The shelters and vets will that the dog will stay in the shelter for as long as the law entails, before euthanasia", he added. Atanasoaiei said he agreed with the "compulsory castratio
