Tell Russia: Stop Killing Homeless Animals To "Clean Up" World Cup Host Cities!

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**Tell the Russian government to enforce the order to create "temporary shelters" to humanely and responsibly house, feed, and care for stray animals during World Cup 2018.** The strays need to be neutered and released after the event. Sterilization is the answer to overpopulation of strays - not mass killing.

Over 2 million stray animals are currently roaming the streets of Russia. These innocent dogs do not deserve to die. This year between June and July, the World Cup will take place in eleven regions around the country with an influx of one million visitors. **Even though Russia vowed to never repeat what happened in Sochi, cities are contracting 'dog hunters' to kill the strays.** \[1\]

A horror scene occurred just four years ago, when Sochi hosted the 2014 Winter Olympics. Stray dogs were killed with poison darts and other inhumane methods. People found the poisoned dogs on the street crying out in pain. Once the dog was shot with the poison dart, it would take fifteen agonizing minutes to die. History is about to repeat itself, unless something changes. \[1\]

Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko ordered the creation of temporary shelters for the strays, but saying and actually doing are two different things. Officials need to enforce this order, and demand that the host cities allocate money for creating and maintaining these shelters. The money cities pay dog hunters to "resolve" the stray problem must instead go to helping, not killing, these stray dogs. \[2\]

**No animal deserves to suffer, and the brutal killing of Russia's stray dogs will not provide a long-term solution to host cities' needs.** After the massacre in Sochi, visitors may even choose to boycott these events entirely. Russia can clean up its image, increase tourism, and reduce the stray population by implementing a humane sheltering and TNR program.\[2\]

**Don't let Sochi happen all over again. Sign now and demand a humane solution for stray dogs!**