From May 31, 2016 through June 5, vaccinated and safe dogs that their patrons and official guardians cared for massively disappeared from the central squares and parks of the capital of Georgia, Tbilisi, in the night hours. In spite of the searching activities conducted by animal lovers and the defenders of their rights, still nobody could find the traces of the missing dogs. As a result of further research of these events, several facts have been established which solidified reasonable and grounded suspect of animal rights activists that the disappearance of animals is another subversive – punishing operation of  Tbilisi City Hall’s LEPL Animal Monitoring Agency. For example, although “cleaning” took place during the night hours, one of the guardians appeared there for helping the barking dog just at the moment when the Animal Monitoring Agency attacked him; A witness in the Vake park took a photo of a car of the Animal Monitoring Agency who was there to kidnap the dogs, on it there is clearly visible the graphic symbol and car number of the agency. It’s clear that such large-scale, targeted and fast “cleaning” (the term which has been established in such state structures since the Soviet period as well as the awareness and model of behavior that is in full compliance with this term) could only have been implemented by specially equipped, trained and approved group of people. On June 6, animal rights activists arranged a protest march at the office of Animal Monitoring Agency, exposed the agency to the crime and demanded on the reorganization of the agency and dismissal of the management. Animal Monitoring Agency has been known as the “Animal Gestapo” in the society for a long time because the director of the agency (Teimuraz Fkhaladze), his deputy (Leri Qvaraya) and their subordinate subversive –punishing detachment methodically, systematically and purposefully destroy the homeless dogs living in the capital through different types of “cleaning” operations and then try to erase all traces of the crime committed; In addition to this, they illegally persecute animal owners and guardians and rudely violate their constitutional rights. At the above mentioned protest action, the director of the agency cynically denied the allegations and tried to convince the assembled society that the dogs spontaneously made a decision to leave the city totally. At first he tried to use the primitive strategy developed by “Animal Gestapo” which is based on the interchange of provocative attacks of animal lovers and endless demagogy but after the animal rights protectors have submitted the evidences and facts, the director of the agency immediately left the area. Alarming situation due to massive disappearance of dogs was broadcast by various media. It is easy to understand how difficult and stressful situation is for the patrons of missing dogs as well as for a big majority of animal lovers and animal rights protectors.

It should also be noted that the generalization of above-described events was preceded by various local “cleaning” that took place in different districts of the city. Unfortunately, as a result of “cleaning” conducted in Gldani district, a lady, who cared for homeless dogs, died because of deterioration of health by nervous stress. “Animal Gestapo” carried out several attacks in Marjanishvili Square (one of them was carried out on December 10, when the civilized world celebrated Animal Rights Day) where the socially unprotected elderly woman whose only child is the disabled person, was confiscated harmless dogs from her which she looked after for years. This is one more visible fact of violating human rights, moral terrorizing   of animal lovers and rude violation of the current legislation. In this regard, human rights activists arranged two protest demonstrations in front of the Animal Monitoring Agency and City Hall.

Based on the severe protest of the society, at the beginning of the last year, the extremely inhumane and unprofessional Resolution #7-28 was carried out to be adopted in the City Council. The co-authors of the Resolution were Teimuraz Fkhaladze and Leri Qvaraya who are not aware of animal welfare standards because by education and professional experience, they are former employees of law enforcement agencies. Teimuraz Fkhaladze and Leri Qvaraya demanded to admit the massive, urgent euthanasia of shelter dogs. As a result of different types of peaceful protest demonstrations and interventions of media, the only change which the City Council included in the Bill of the Resolution was the cancellation of the Article related to massive, urgent euthanasia. But besides this Resolution#7-28 contains ambiguous Articles and Paragraphs, which give the opportunity to perform life-threatening actions for homeless animals and is a prerequisite for their large-scale killing.  

Tbilisi City Hall’s Shelter for Animals is under the direct subordination of Animal Monitoring Agency and therefore, with its essence and military operating principles looks like to be “Animal Concentration Camp”. In “Animal Concentration Camp”, the official statistics of euthanized adult animals and inexplicably died puppies and kittens seem shocking which is even more exacerbated by the facts of disappearance of many animals left beyond the official statistics. Animals in the shelter are in horrible conditions. Cages are polluted; there is always extreme dampness in the cages. Healthy and diseased animals are together; they lie on the concrete floor. Adult animals, as well as kittens and puppies are bathed under cold water jet which leads to their sickness and also contributes to the rapid spread of a variety of viral, fungal and infectious diseases throughout the shelter. 90% of animals which are returned to the city from the shelter are infected. At the same time, bowls of animals are never full of water. During the disinfection of cages, animals are in them and they breathe harmful chemicals. Often, the animals taken from the city to the shelter are not returned to the place where they were taken from, but to the forest, to the deserted suburb of the city or intercity high-speed thruway where they die of hunger and car accidents. The aggressive administration of the shelter does not allow anyone to take photos within the territory of the shelter, which is already an alarming signal. At the same time, based on the unbearable conditions in the shelter it is known that almost 4 000 000 GEL is allocated to the shelter from the State budget (which approximately equals to 1 800 000 US dollars) and there is no doubt about the existence of serious financial gap and unreasonable costs.

Unfortunately, there is no actually operating, controlling and legal mechanism in the country that will provide the elimination of similar cruelty and the superior state authorities do not pay attention to long term, comprehensive and firm protest of animal lovers and animal rights protectors that causes feeling of impunity and arbitrariness of “Animal Gestapo” management. It is a pity that there takes place coward destruction of unprotected animals in the country where, in the bosom of ancient folklore, was born the unique monument such as “Ballad of the Man and Tiger” in which the mother of the died man reveals an amazing empathy to the mother of the killed tiger that is a superior expression of human and animal equality. It is obvious that at the most important stage of European integration, the alarming situation in the field of animal protection is an obstructive circumstance; therefore, this field requires the implementation of legislative changes in line with EU norms and standards and insurance of the execution of the adopted laws.

Considering above-mentioned situation with Animal Monitoring Agency and also more serious and alarming situations in the municipal shelters of other cities as well as that even the most severe forms of animal abuse remains unpunished in the country which longs for the integration to EU, we, the signatories of this petition, strongly demand:

1.  End various forms of cruelty to animals and moral terrorizing of animals lovers which constantly take place from Animal Monitoring Agency. Dismiss the director of the agency Teimuraz Fkhaladze and his deputy Leri Qvaraya. Review the staff and appoint the employees with relevant education, qualification and skills who will love animals and understand the norms of animal welfare. Ensure correct functioning and effective, proper financial management of the agency as well as observance of the sanitary-hygienic norms and humane methods of animal care and treatment in the shelter.  Allow animal rights activists to control the existing situation in the shelter. 

2.  Respect and protect the rights of animals, just as it happens in other civilized countries; abolish the Resolution of City Council №7- 28 which is harmful and dangerous to the life and health of animals; immediately adopt a new, humane organic law which will clearly define and protect welfare principles and standards of animals with participation of non-government organizations and full consideration of their recommendations.