Russia hosts an animal massacre before hosting the FIFA World Cup on Thursday, 14th of June, according to reports from The Guardian and LA Times. Seven of the 11 host cities issued calls to kill street dogs and cats through contractors who aim poison darts at the street animals, leaving them to die in agony. Yet, the methods of killing vary from one city to the other,  and depending on the contractor – also known as  ”dog hunter’- they are paid up by the government up to $160,000.

Animal rights activists are fighting back,  issuing letters,  pleading with the government of the host cities to consider alternative  programs to handle the stray animals situation in Russia;  however, their letters are unanswered by all but one host city, Yekaterinburg, which claims that the “existing program are humane and work well.”

This is not the first time Russia practices mass murder on stray animals. In 2014, prior to the Sochi Winter Olympics, Russia was condemned for the same exact tactic of controlling homeless animals. One animal rights activists suggests that the Russian government ought to question the effectiveness of the mass butchering since the existing issue of stray dogs seems to continue four years later.

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