A recent spay/neuter campaign in the town of Topoloveni, Romania, resulted in the sterilization of more than 400 dogs and cats, and sets an example for humane, effective population control for other cities to follow.
The campaign was carried out by the organization EDUXANIMA, in partnership with Topoloveni City Hall; FNPA; “Tiere in Not, Hürth eV”, Germany; and “Tierhilfe KOS”, Austria, for the town of Topoloveni, Arges County, and its surroundings over a period of three weeks.
428 dogs and cats (169 stray dogs, 115 dogs with owner, 28 stray cats, 116 cats with owner) were sterilized during the campaign.
Any animal subjected to sterilization also received grooming, flea and tick control treatment, and comprehensive medical treatment if necessary.
This year, animal owners were the most receptive they’ve been since we first organized sterilization campaigns in Topoloveni in 2011. More and more owners have decided to sterilize their animals, convinced by information about the benefits of animal sterilization, increased standards of responsibility for animal caretakers, positive experience from previous years’ campaigns, and new legal provisions making sterilization of owned animals obligatory.
It is known that owned dogs are the main source of stray dog overpopulation, because unwanted litters born in households are generally abandoned. No matter what method we apply to stray dogs – killing, removal, sterilization – it will not solve the problem if the source is not stopped. Dog owners who abandon animals – either because they are irresponsible or, more often, because they lack the financial resources to care for them – will continue to feed the stray population.
Therefore, the sterilization of owned animals is a priority. It is the most important practical action to control stray animal numbers, with the most immediate results, if it is implemented on a national scale.
Sterilization of animals and education of pet owners are essential components for the long term solution of the stray animals problem.
The City Hall of Topoloveni’s involvement in the recent campaign could serve as an example for other mayors, many of whom continue to manage the problem of canine overpopulation in cruel and ineffective ways, or else ignore the issue until the situation suddenly becomes critical.
Moreover, the law now offers the possibility for city halls to subsidize sterilization of owned dogs. We ask all city halls to subtract the money from their budgets currently allocated for killing stray dogs, and instead invest it in sterilizing owned dogs, the main source of the stray dog population.
Thank you to “Tiere in Not, Hürth eV“, our permanent and sustained partner in all of our sterilization campaigns. With their support we have so far sterilized 2900 animals!
Thank you to “Tierhilfe KOS”, who, for the second time, supported our sterilization action and has also always provided food for the animals we handle.
Thank you to everyone who participated in the campaign.
Carmen ARSENE
President
Organization EDUXANIMA
National Federation for Animal Protection (FNPA)
