Aside from the ethical questions slaughtering these animals evokes, culling the street dogs of Sochi is only a temporary "solution" to their overpopulation. The most permanent (and happy) answer for all is to implement on-going programs that specifically address this issue humanely. Spaying/neutering campaigns will keep the stray population low over time, not simply in the immediate. Erecting shelters and systems to care for these animals in place of killing them in alarming numbers will repair Sochi's reputation, and allow these animals to go to loving homes.

I know there are many pressing issues at the moment all across the globe as well as in Sochi. With the Olympics, security and budget concerns, and city maintenance, stray dogs must seem like a lowly priority in comparison. But these uncared for animals and their senseless deaths have had an enormous impact on people the world over--they are not meaningless, and they should not be pushed outside memory so that this can happen again down the road. A solution, like the ProvoDog shelter, must be put forward.