Sochi hires exterminators to wipe out stray dogs before Olympics

[Seil]

Apparently cats are more likely to have rabies, according to the CDC.

This study of infectious diseases as carried by dogs doesn't include studies including wild Russian dogs, but it does list a variety of different dog-to-human infections that could occur.

Alternatively, here's a link to infectious diseases carried by rats.

Not knowing the ratio of wild dogs and wild rats to humans in Sochi, and which one comes in contact more with humans, I admit that it is possible that both wild rats and wild dogs are dangerous to humans. It is possible for both of them to be caught, cleaned, immunized and - with a clean bill of health - be turned over to a loving family.

However, in my experience, it would be much simpler to catch them, to find someone willing to adopt them, and to pay for the veterinarian care required.

[Krylo]

Thing to note about wild dogs: They're territorial, often used to being abused (and, as such, are psychologically scarred), and strong enough to maul or kill someone. People are also less likely to act appropriately to a dangerous dog than a dangerous rat, due to both dog vs rat psychology and how they react to panicky humans, and human kind's long term bond with dogs.

Disease isn't really a thing that's necessary for them to be dangerous to humans.

As for just turning them over to a family, even a completely domesticated dog if it's been raised by in a family where someone might be abusive (children are bad for this, if the dog doesn't have a good temperament to start with), can quickly maul or kill someone.

Take one that's already used to living on the streets and give it to someone who ISN'T trained to deal with abused animals and you're just asking for a tragic mauling.

The only thing people should really be protesting here is that Russia ever let its stray dog problem get bad enough that this kind of thing is necessary at all.

[Aerozord]

Its the mass killing that bothers me, I would indeed be bothered if they were doing this to rodents.

Plus this is a "attack the symptom not the disease" issue. Your concern shouldn't be all the wild dogs, it should be why the heck you have so many strays that you find this necessary in the first place.

[Loyal]

However, in my experience, it would be much simpler to catch them, to find someone willing to adopt them, and to pay for the veterinarian care required.

I have no idea what experience you could possibly have, to make doing all of the above simpler than simply killing them off. Especially on the scale described. Especially if the city's footing the bill.

[Tev]

Here's another Olympics fiasco that just hit the news:

The Russian Government is spying on reporters in the shower?

Journalists may have been tweeting about their hotel nightmares in Sochi, but the Russian government says it has proof the whole thing is overblown—because it's been spying on people in their hotel rooms.

The Internet has been ablaze with what the Washington Post dubbed the "hilarious and gross" experiences journalists covering the 2014 Olympics were having in their hotels.

But, as the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, Russian officials dismissed the claim, with deputy prime minister Dmitry Kozak confidently asserting that hotel surveillance footage showed things were fine (emphasis added):

Kozak, the deputy prime minister responsible for the Olympic preparations, reflected the view held among many Russian officials that some Western visitors are deliberately trying to sabotage Sochi's big debut out of bias against Russia. "We have surveillance video from the hotels that shows people turn on the shower, direct the nozzle at the wall and then leave the room for the whole day," he said. An aide then pulled a reporter away before Mr. Kozak could be questioned further on surveillance in hotel rooms.

So maybe journalists have "creepy government surveillance" to add to their list of hotel issues. Of course, they probably should have been on their guard already, since, as NBC's Richard Engel reported recently, the State Department has warned travelers that they should "have no expectation of privacy, even in their hotel rooms" when they go to Sochi.

Man, this Olympics just got interesting....

[Grandmaster_Skweeb]

Welcome to Shochilypicsland!

The hotels is great!

[Aerozord]

I am just imagining the logic of the Russian government right now

"Hey remember what it was like when Stalin was in charge? Lets give that another try"

[Flarecobra]

Seems the stray dogs have been getting everywhere at the Olympics...

One got onto the cross-country sking course, and another got into the opening ceremony.

Throw in the fact that they've been all over the Olympic village...

[Grandmaster_Skweeb]

Barely functional olympic village, spying on reporters/hotels and openly saying to, failed attempt at mass stray dog extermination..

I spose if one is going to fail hard one might as well go for the gold.

[Seil]

Not to mention their hard anti-gay stance that has caused sponsors to withdraw.