Georgian NGOs protest against mercy killing of healthy animals

In Georgia, twenty NGOs have challenged a draft resolution of the Tbilisi Sakrebulo (City Council) on the rules of pet care. The NGOs have filed a motion to the Chair of the Sakrebulo.

According to the draft resolution "On Rules of Caring Animals (Dogs, Cats) and Controlling Their Population in Municipality Tbilisi", the mercy killing is possible if an animal "cannot get used to the conditions of the animal shelter, is under stress and is suffering."

"The introductory part of the draft resolution states that its goal is 'to introduce humane methods of treating animals.' We declare with our full responsibility that this resolution is not aimed at humanism, but it is designed to promote cruelty to animals," the NGOs' appeal states.

In particular, the document was signed by the leaders of the "Association for the Animal Protection and Rescue of Georgia", the "Association for the Animal Protection of All Georgia," the "Greenpeace Support Group-Caucasus", and the "Animal Rights Committee".

According to the NGOs, the draft resolution does not protect the rights of animals and their owners. The activists have stressed that the document "legitimates mercy killing of any animal (including healthy ones) and legalizes killing of animals."

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.