The wandering menace protected by the state

In 2019, the RA Parliament adopted a draft criminalizing animal cruelty. The RA criminal code provides up to 2 years of imprisonment for animal cruelty. The state initiated the sterilization of stray dogs and the decontamination process.

With this step, the state, on the one hand, listened to the voice of animal defenders’ struggle for years, on the other hand, it showed that it is not only human-centered, but also animal-loving, even so animal-loving that it is even ready to give up the basic human right to life for the sake of that love.

Let’s talk about the facts.

According to official statistics, at least 15 people were attacked by stray dogs every day in 2021. According to the Ministry of Health, the cases have increased year by year, in 2021 – about 80 percent more – 5,632.

During 2023, the calls received by the police of the Ministry of Internal Affairs mainly related to stray dogs attacking citizens, being aggressive, making noise and gathering near garbage cans 133 cases of dog attacks, 134 in 2023, and 5 in January 2024. Regarding the mentioned cases, petitions were submitted to the local self-governing bodies in order to neutralize the stray animals and move them to care centers.

According to the data of the Statistical Committee of Armenia, cases of suffering from animal attacks have become frequent in Armenia. 2,648 such cases were registered only in the spring months.

The above statistics are disturbing, but do not summarize the whole picture of the problem.

Of course, the practice of arbitrarily killing stray dogs was a concern, and the prevention of this practice by the threat of punishment is a reasonable solution. maladaptive neutered dogs and people affected by these dog attacks the presence of which carry the disease “Leishmaniasis”, which is fatal for children.

The fact is, and it is undeniable, that the municipalities do not properly carry out the process of neutering and neutralizing stray dogs, which is why a large number of people become victims of dog attacks every year and cannot independently neutralize dangerous dogs for defensive purposes. the constitutionally enshrined norm of being the highest value is merely a pleasant thought.

A reality has been created, in that reality the state has defined the right to attack for irrational dogs and a ban on defense for rational people, the process of neutering and neutralizing stray dogs is not properly carried out, and the plan to create shelters for stray dogs is invisible on the horizon.

The state is expected to respect and protect human rights in its territory. A person does not have to defend himself and become a person who committed a crime due to the inaction or insufficient intervention of the state.

Funded by the Federal Office of Foreign Affairs.

#Civilsocietycooperation