The first stray dogs census made in Romania shows that the number of dogs living on the streets of Bucharest amounts to a total of over 64,700, according to a partial count conducted by the Authority for Animals Supervision and Protection (ASPA) in September 2012, quoted by Hotnews.ro. The error margin is of +/- 10 percent.

ASPA, institution subordinated to the Bucharest City Hall, captured around 3,500 stray dogs in 2012. From this total number, some 2,000 were returned on the streets, 1,400 were adopted and over 40 were put down.  Over 6,500 stray dogs were sterilized in Bucharest last year, with total costs of some EUR 200,000.

The Romanian Senate has recently adopted a draft legislation, which states that only incurably ill dogs can be euthanized. A dog can be declared incurably ill only after a relevant medical exam carried out by a veterinarian.

In November 2011, Romanian lawmakers decided authorities can hold stray dogs from the streets and keep them for 30 days in shelters, and then kill them if no one adopts the animal during this period. However, in January 2012, Romania’s Constitutional Court rejected this law saying parts of it were unconstitutional.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com

(photo source: Arhivafoto.ro)