The National Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Authority (ANSVSA) will step up inspections at public and private shelters for stray dogs and collaborate with the Romanian College of Veterinarians on the implementation of a national mass sterilisation programme.
'ANSVSA will intensify control missions in public and private shelters to ensure compliance with accommodation and care standards and will provide methodological support to local authorities to meet the regulations in force. At the same time, ANSVSA expresses its willingness to work with the Romanian College of Veterinarians to implement a national mass sterilisation programme, considered essential for reducing abandonment and preventing shelter overcrowding,' the institution said in a press release, agerpres reports.
A meeting organised by the Presidential Administration, coordinated by presidential adviser Diana Punga, on the situation of stray dogs took place on Thursday at Casa Eliad in Bucharest.
The discussions were attended by ANSVSA leadership, executive directors of county structures, representatives of the College of Veterinary Surgeons, the Bucharest Authority for the Supervision and Protection of Animals (ASPA), non-governmental organisations, the General Inspectorate of the Romanian Police and the Animal Protection Directorate within the Inspectorate.
ANSVSA welcomed the initiative to facilitate open dialogue between state institutions and civil society and considers that the current situation can only be resolved through a systemic approach, in which veterinary expertise directly supports public prevention and control policies.
'Cruelty towards animals is unacceptable, and ANSVSA's role is to ensure strict enforcement of legislation and to support local communities in transforming shelters into spaces that respect animal life and welfare,' the statement added.
In parallel, the Authority is seeking to clarify administrative barriers that limit joint actions with the Animal Protection Offices within the Romanian Police, with a view to creating a rapid intervention mechanism in cases of abuse or mismanagement.
'We have conveyed a very clear position to Parliament: we are prepared to assume the banning of euthanasia, but on one essential condition - that the Romanian state ensures the necessary funding to include a mandatory sterilisation campaign in ANSVSA's Strategic Programme. If we do not address the root cause of this phenomenon, we will remain trapped in a vicious circle, managing only the effects without eliminating the problem of dogs on the streets,' ANSVSA President Alexandru Nicolae Bociu was quoted as saying.
More than 1,000 people took part on Sunday in a protest organised by the NGO 'Justice for Animals' in Izvor Park. Participants displayed banners and messages calling for reform of the stray dog management system, greater transparency in the use of public funds and sanctions for abuse in shelters.
The protest followed a scandal at the shelter in Suraia, Vrancea County, after footage emerged showing the mistreatment and euthanasia of more than 200 dogs. The case triggered strong public reactions and reignited debate over how authorities handle the issue of stray animals.
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