Be merciful, stop the barbarous extermination of dogs and cats!

TO THE PRESIDENT OF TURKMENISTAN

GURBANGULY BERDYMUKHAMMEDOV

OPEN TELEGRAM

MR PRESIDENT,

I KINDLY ASK YOU TO BE MERCIFUL AND STOP A NEW ROUND OF BARBAROUS EXTERMINATION OF DOGS AND CATS, WHICH HAS BECOME TRADITIONAL FOR TURKMENISTAN FOR THE PAST TWENTY YEARS! ANIMALS DIE IN TERRIBLE AGONY FROM VARIOUS POISONS, OFTEN IN FRONT OF CHILDREN. THE EXECUTORS REFER TO YOUR INSTRUCTIONS TO CLEAR ASHGABAT FROM DOGS AND CATS. AT THE SAME TIME, HOWEVER, NO MEASURES TO EXTERMINATE RODENTS AND BEDBUGS ARE BEING UNDERTAKEN.

NATALYA SHABUNTS
ADDRESS: MIR2-4, 7, APT.7

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For many years the practice of exterminating dogs and cats has persisted in Turkmenistan‘ s capital and other major cities. The representatives of sanitary and public health services make raids in the city by feeding dogs and cats with contaminated sausages. The animals die in agony and pain. This happens in full day light and is witnessed by the residents.

The number of homeless pets is on the rise also due to the fact that residential houses are being demolished and many inhabitants can hardly find new accommodation (they often stay with relatives) whereas cats and dogs, who used to live with their owners, become homeless.

In their turn the services, which are supposed to capture homeless animals, receive limited funding and have no possibility to be engaged in the neutering of dogs and cats. There is no funding available even to purchase poisons which have immediate effect. Thus the employees use cheap crop dust or even pieces of sausage stuffed with needles.

Source: TIHR