Over 200 dogs found at a private dog shelter in the commune of Suraia, in eastern Romania, have been relocated with the help of NGOs and individuals after images showing alleged acts of cruelty were made public on social media. Many of the dogs were sick, and not all may yet survive, according to media reports.
The images showed how a dog was mistreated and later euthanized at the shelter, reportedly managed by a veterinarian. The administrator of the dog shelter and two employees have been placed under judicial control following the searches carried out in this case.
Authorities are also set to investigate how the public contracts for capture and care of the dogs were carried out and whether the amounts paid by the administrations were proportional to the services provided.
Romania’s National Sanitary Veterinary Authority, or ANSVSA, together with police officers, intervened at the scene and suspended the activity of the shelter. Soon after, they began relocating the dogs still housed at the facility.
The animals were taken over by NGOs from across the country, but also by private individuals.
“DSVSA Vrancea immediately suspended the activity after we viewed the images circulated online. We applied three administrative fines totaling RON 39,000 (EUR 7,600), and we prohibited the euthanasia of dogs in that shelter. Finally, we notified the Vrancea College of Veterinary Doctors regarding the medical procedures carried out by the respective veterinarian,” said Mihai Cristinel, director of DSVSA Vrancea.
He also noted that the College of Veterinary Doctors is the only body that can revoke the veterinarian’s right to practice freely, depending on the findings.
Marius Chircă, a representative of an NGO involved in the rescue actions, said that many of the dogs taken were in serious condition and that the relocation process was complicated by conditions and procedures, according to Agerpres.
In parallel with the accusations regarding the conditions in the shelter and the handling of the animals, activists and NGOs raised suspicions about non-compliance with mandatory procedures, such as registration and microchipping, sterilization, treatments, and euthanasia.
Veterinarian Emma Stratulat, president of an animal protection association from Iași, stated that her organization had received information about the situation in Suraia long before the topic exploded online and claims that she tried to alert the authorities.
“We started notifying the authorities, sending countless letters, but each time we received the response that [the activity at the shelter] is legal, that it is fine, that there is no problem. So we decided we had to show what is actually happening behind these metal fences, and we began to take measures on our own, so to speak. And a few days ago, we managed to bring to the public everything that was really happening,” said Emma Stratulat, as quoted by Agerpres.
“This is not an isolated case, and that is the biggest pain: it doesn’t happen only in Suraia, but in many other private shelters, and sometimes even public ones. […] Billions of euros have been spent by the Romanian state on euthanasia, yet we still have a major problem on the streets. Clearly, this is the wrong approach,” she added.
Numerous localities in the area reportedly signed contracts for capturing and managing stray dogs with the Suraia shelter. Contracts with the company were also concluded by town halls in Constanța, Iași, Buzău, or Dâmbovița.
The case led to a wider debate regarding the management of stray dogs.
“The management of stray dogs must be supported through an integrated, coherent, and applicable national strategy. This must be built together with local authorities, veterinary health specialists, and civil society,” said ANSVSA president Dr. Alexandru Bociu, according to a press release from the institution.
In the upcoming period, ANSVSA will organize working meetings with organizations and associations for animal protection, representatives of local public administration, the Romanian College of Veterinary Doctors, and public health specialists, to outline a national strategy focused on prevention and systematic sterilization, owner accountability, proper identification and microchipping, education and public awareness, as well as clear monitoring and control mechanisms.
(Photo source: Help Labus on Facebook)
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