Ramazan Abdulatipov calls on residents of Makhachkala to stop killing dogs and panicking

Dagestani leader Ramazan Abdulatipov has addressed residents of the republic with a request to "stop killing defenceless animals" and "stop escalating the situation." Meanwhile, during three days, the petition for resignation of the Mayor of Makhachkala and the leader of Dagestan, who, according to the petition's initiators, support the shooting of dogs in Dagestan, collected more than 3500 signatures.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on February 19 in Makhachkala the body of a nine-year girl was found; by the preliminary investigators’ version, she died as a result of stray dogs’ attacks. After the incident, residents of Dagestan began reporting mass shooting of stray dogs in the republic.

It is unacceptable when stray dogs threaten citizens and children. However, it is also unacceptable to be cruel to animals, stated the leader of Dagestan.

"I urge residents of Dagestan to stay being human beings and to stop killing defenceless animals. People who have not been identified yet were destroying all dogs without exception, and they did that with cynicism and cruelty. Nothing can justify such a cruel attitude to 'our younger brothers.' I urge the public not to escalate the situation, given the fact that the spontaneous actions of some city residents resulted from a tragic accident, which was used as an excuse to provoke panic," stated Ramazan Abdulatipov as quoted in a statement of the press service of the administration of the Dagestani leader and the government of Dagestan, published on the official website of the leader of the republic on February 28.

According to the statement released by the press service, a special republican commission has been created in connection with the tragic incident in Makhachkala. In the coming days, fundamental organizational and personnel decisions will be made regarding the persons guilty of the incident and the subsequent barbaric shooting of animals," emphasizes the statement.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.