Stray or Shelter? Stray Dogs - Dangerous, Unfortunate, and Unwanted Pets
Today, April 11th, in Russia, they celebrate National Pets Day. This article is about those lucky few who get to be pet owners, a rare privilege in places like Krasnoyarsk. Every year, hundreds of stray dogs are rounded up off the streets, but only a handful find new homes. Even puppies are rarely taken, while adult animals, who’ve spent years on the streets or in shelters, become increasingly wild and unsuited for life with humans.
Meanwhile, attacks by packs of strays on people continue, and society is divided: some demand tougher control measures, while others call for the protection of animals. DELA tried to find a solution, but it's still a long way from seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.
OSVV Doesn't Work
The One-Shot, Vaccinate, Sterilize, and Return (OSVV) practice is facing more criticism, especially after a string of tragic incidents involving dog attacks in different regions of Russia.
The conflict boils down to a fight between animal activists and proponents of harsh measures. Animal activists oppose euthanasia, suggesting humane methods of population control such as sterilization and releasing dogs back onto the streets. Radical city dwellers see this as a risk. And in heated debates, the word "shooting" often pops up, a practice that was once common during Soviet times and continued for decades after.
At the federal level, a bill is being discussed that could dramatically change the situation. Its main provision would ban releasing animals back onto the streets after capture.
Regions would have the power to decide the fate of the dogs: either keep them in shelters for life or euthanize them. But so far, the debate has yet to move beyond discussions.
Shelters are Overflowing
Obviously, lifelong care for dogs in shelters could be the best solution. Dogs would live under supervision, with a guaranteed roof over their heads and regular meals. However, there are too many dogs or, from another perspective, too few shelters.
According to the city government as of March 10th, 278 dogs have been captured in Krasnoyarsk since the start of the year, but only 44 (just 16%) were deemed "non-aggressive" and released. In regional shelters, 1174 dogs are being housed, with daily costs amounting to 176,000 rubles. Finding space for this influx is nearly impossible.
"Shelter dogs are harder to socialize," волонтёр Екатерина Быкова tells us. "People often return them because they can't handle their behavior."
Dogs from shelters are rarely taken in by others, she explains, with private households and organizations being the main ones to collect them—they need dogs for security purposes.
Try Training Them
Both volunteers and dog trainers agree: the psyche of street dogs is disturbed. This doesn't mean these animals are hopeless, but a special approach is required, and patience, especially from their owners, is essential—and most importantly, experience.
"There's a huge difference between house dogs and street dogs," says the head of the Kransnoyarsk Handling and Dog Training School, Vladslava Zveruga. "Street dogs are usually wild animals—they’ve been living on the street. And interacting with them is a complex matter."
Street dogs inherit their behavior from generation to generation, explains Zveruga. If the animal has lived on the street for more than one generation, certain traits—such as caution and avoiding people—are intensified. As a result, socialization is always difficult.
"Street dogs can be trained," but it requires understanding that socialization will take a lot of time," warns the trainer. "For example, they might bite during feeding, hoard food—these are ingrained habits, because food was scarce on the street."
Not every such animal belongs with us, because this causes them stress. A street puppy is easier to train, says the trainer. He adapts better to the rules of behavior in the home.
"There are no untrainable dogs," says the trainer. "The issue is time: with street dogs, dreserra goes much slower. We always need to understand that taking a street dog into our home will bring additional difficulties, both morally and physically. And we need experience in dealing with dogs, meaning we must understand their psychology.”
Street dogs often suffer from lack of human interaction, causing them to become aggressive or excessively cautious. Even puppies who’ve grown up on the street can be more withdrawn and less trusting than their domesticated peers. This creates extra challenges for those brave enough to take a dog from a shelter.
That's why trainers don't recommend novices take on rearing street dogs without professional support.
And right now, says Zveruga, people are coming to classes with shelter dogs more and more often. Here, owners and their pets get to find common ground.
There's No Place for Dogs in the City: Not Even in Our Homes
Difficulties for dog owners are compounded by city infrastructure. As one resident of Krasnoyarsk notes, there are hardly any safe places to walk a dog in the city center.
"From personal experience, not every Krasnoyarce (Krasnoyarsk resident) can afford a dog. It's mostly about walking dogs in the city center—there just isn’t any safe place to take them." says she.
Walking a dog in the city center, she narrates, involves circling the block, walking on the grass between sidewalks and roads, where dangers lurk on every step—cars, litter, even other aggressive dogs.
"Not every dog owner walks their dog on a leash, and dogs can escape, attack each other, scare both their owners and passersby. Urban sketers (squares) where we occasionally took our dog to walk, face the same problem. In addition, there are many unhappy people who resent the presence of dogs on their walks. They complain about barking, walking, and dog fights. And passersby can understand. But it's also important to remember that more and more undirected waste systems are attracting strays.”
Only in recent years have residential areas started to build designated dog parks. But the availability of these amenities is far from adequate.
They All Suffer
It seems the stray dog problem in Krasnoyarsk will remain a pressing issue for some time. Despite efforts to find a solution, the desired outcome remains elusive. The stray dogs run the streets, bark at passersby, scare children... For now, neither the authorities nor society can come to a consensus on how to deal with this problem.
But it's important to note that the dog issue isn't just about kindness—it's about safety too. As the debate rages on, hundreds of animals remain on the streets, victims of irresponsible society and a threat to it simultaneously.
- For the local news, a discussion about the ongoing stray dog problem in Krasnoyarsk is still ongoing.
- In the realm of lifestyle and pets, the city's volatile shelter situation is a cause for concern for animal activists and volunteers.
- For education and self-development, training and socialization are key to rehabilitating street dogs and making them suitable for life with humans.
- In general news, the debate over the OSVV practice continues, with animal activists advocating for humane methods and others pushing for harder control measures.
- In the local community, the lack of safe, city-center spaces for walking pets is a significant hurdle for potential pet owners in Krasnoyarsk.
