Who are dog hunters and how to protect your pet from them

Every dog ​​owner should know that in Russia there is a movement of dog hunters – volunteers who see their mission in the extermination of stray dogs. Their activities are not centralized, most often registered in large cities, and are criminally punishable. What exactly dog ​​hunters do, why you should beware of them and how to protect your pet from them – in the article.

The Destructive Philosophy of Doghantry

Dog hunters believe that stray dogs have no place in human habitats, and are engaged in their extermination. They communicate with each other on forums and closed groups on social networks. Usually they do not call themselves animal killers, but “volunteers”. They prefer to say that their activities protect people from the danger of being bitten or maimed by wild individuals. Animal abuse is not welcome in the community – only targeted destruction.

How dog hunters kill dogs

To kill stray dogs, dog hunters use firearms or poison in powders and tablets. Poison for dogs often leads to the death of not only the homeless, but also pets, as many owners in parks and squares often let their pets off the leash and do not watch what they pick up from the ground. Hill’s experts talked in detail about the dangers of self-walking dogs in a separate article.

What does the law say

Russia has Federal Law No. 498-FZ “On Responsible Treatment of Animals” dated December 27, 2018. According to it, it is impossible to poison a dog without consequences. The activity of dog hunters provides for a fine of up to 80 thousand rubles, correctional labor or restriction of freedom for up to 3 years. Hill’s experts collected the main thing about the Law “On Responsible Treatment of Animals” in the article.

Experience from other countries

The problem of regulating the number of stray dogs is acute in many countries of the world. A negative example is shown by countries where animals are shot on the streets: there their number does not decrease from year to year.

The catch-sterilize-release program has been shown to be more effective, but has not been widely adopted. Everything about the Trapping-Sterilization-Vaccination-Return program was collected by Hill’s specialists in a separate article.

Most countries use the method of trapping stray animals. Dogs are placed in a shelter for a period of time and after the minimum stay period is over, they are euthanized or sent to live in public kennels, depending on the rules of a particular country.

Memo to the dog owner

When walking your dog in the city, it is important to be vigilant and not let your dog pick up food. Do not allow the pet to eat snow, the color of which is not pure white, and also to drink water from accidentally discovered bowls.  

Dog hunters often hide poison in food – meat, sausage. To protect your pet from accidental poisoning, it is important to follow two basic rules:

• Teach your dog not to pick up anything from the ground. This will help classes with a cynologist.

• Keep your dog on a leash while walking.

Signs of poisoning in an animal usually appear 2-3 hours after the poison enters the body. Among the main symptoms:

• vomiting;

• convulsions, wobbly gait, general lethargy;

• oppressed breathing and weak pulse;

• refusal to eat and drink;

• diarrhea, rash, bleeding.

There are only a few hours to save the pet, so you need to contact your veterinarian as soon as possible. As a first aid, you can feed the dog activated charcoal or other absorbent, induce vomiting. A specialist in a veterinary clinic will take the necessary measures to save the animal and prescribe further treatment.