By IANS,
Kiev : A Ukraine minister has called for an end to stray animals’ killing ahead of the Euro 2012 Soccer Championship.
Stray animals, especially dogs, are a big problem in Ukraine. It is estimated that nearly 30,000 dogs run loose in Kiev while hundreds of thousands of others roam around the country, Xinhua reported.
“Instead of cruelty to animals, I urge the city councils of regional centres to provide land for shelters. The Ministry for its part is ready to consider participation in their construction,” said Mykola Zlochevsky, Minister for Environment and Natural Resources.
Zlochevsky, who met with representatives of the British environmental organisation “Naturewatch,” said his ministry was negotiating with authorities in big cities to build modern shelters to house the strays.
Hundreds of stray dogs have been killed in Ukraine since January.
Activists accuse authorities of using inhumane methods of killing the animals, including poisoning and burning.