CONTROLLING STREET DOG POPULATION IN MOSCOW

The issue represents the analysis of the fundamentals and world-wide best practices of controlling street dog population in Moscow and other global cities. Actions proposed to improve the strategy of managing free-ranging dogs in Moscow.Some reasons of increase in number of stray dogs and “pet overpopulation” ware studied. There are ecological types of stray dogs characterized the types of running wild of dogs and foraging (food procurement) strategy of animals.The analysis of the basic principles of management of the number of stray dogs of urban areas was carried out. The work on the field of stray dogs’ population regulation is directed to prophylaxisactions and prevention of the animals’ homelessness phenomenon, and also carrying out actions of catching and creation of a network of shelters for available homeless animals.The international experience and methods of successful practice of stray dogs’ population management program were studied. It is necessary for developing various programs for stray dogs’ population management in Moscow. The basic principles of “TNR” program and experience of its application in Moscow and other countries was studied.Actions for management of the number of stray dogs in Moscow were offered. There are two main directions of different measures: a creation of specialized professional structures for the number of homeless animals’ management of the city and an active involvement of animals’ owners to increase of responsibility and knowledge of the people.The main actions of these directions consist of neutering of healthy and nonaggressive animals, vaccination against dangerous diseases (plague, rage, leptospirosis, enteritis and others) with the return to their habitat, construction of shelters for street animals, euthanasia of terminally ill and aggressive, finding new owners for healthy and nonaggressive animals; improvement of the waste system, limiting breeding of dogs, stimulation of neutering of pets, registration and the recording of animals, installing chips in pets and tagging stray sterilized dogs, administrative sanctions against people for violation of the rules of pets keeping, developing in society of a responsible attitude to animals, education in the field of the treatment of animals and public service advertising to promote the idea of animals from shelters are necessary.

street dogs, managing the population, TNR program (trap/neuter/return)