Baghdad police and veterinarians kill 58,000 stray dogs
Stray dogs are attacking Baghdad residents, so officials have taken matters into their own hands. Do you agree with their methods?
It's tough to see animals die, particularly for veterinary team members who have entered a career based on their love for animals. But for some veterinarians in Baghdad, Iraq, killing animals is necessary to protect the city's residents.
The Baghdad government has assembled 20 teams of veterinarians and police shooters tasked with killing stray dogs following increased reports of dog attacks in the city. Since April, the teams have killed about 58,000 of the region's strays, according to the Associated Press (AP).
With open-air markets and a bustling city scene beginning to return following the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Baghdad, dogs are finding more food and having bigger litters, according to the AP report. Officials say that attacks have increased steadily and, in Baghdad, children have been bitten and even killed. There are not believed to be any dog shelters in Baghdad, according to the AP.
What do you think? Are these animal control methods justified, or have officials gone too far?
