儘管有安全上的疑慮以及被指控虐待動物，巴格達省政府仍會持續銷毀流浪狗。
今年稍早，為了處理巴格達周遭約125萬的流浪狗，市政當局聘僱獵人和獸醫。這些流浪狗有傳播疾病以及定居此處之虞。
巴格達堆積如山的垃圾問題更加惡化這些問題，野狗、老鼠在垃圾堆裡大吃大喝。
巴格達衛生局長拉提夫耶施伯博士（Dr. Latif Jaseb）說，從一月起，已有26起狂犬病紀錄。雖然該市沒有攻擊次數紀錄，但曾有野狗群咬傷和攻擊當地人致死的報告。
「在我們街上的狗對每個人都很危險，...行動將會持續，」巴格達省長薩拉阿布杜拉札克（Salah Abdul Razzaq）說，「除狗隊使用毒肉，我們還聘請配備來福槍的獵人射殺他們。」
根據省長辦公室資料，之前三個月已殺死58500隻狗。
但這種撲滅方法引起動物保護團體抗議，他們呼籲為動物結紮或是遷移。
「這種除去動物的方式太野蠻，我們呼籲停止這種方法，並且希望當局能聽聽我們的看法。」伊拉克自然保護聯盟（Nature Iraq）經理那比爾阿布杜韓生（Nabeel Abdulhassan）說。
巴格達居民也抱怨，在居家附近出現獵人和毒肉，對兒童而言很不安全。
省長承認，是有安全疑慮，「尤其是貧窮社區的小孩，不聽獵狗隊獵人的警告。」
但衛生部門官員阿巴斯沙郎韓努（Abbas Salem Hannoun）說，沒有其他辦法可以處理這件事。「除了殺掉狗和毒死狗，我們別無他法。大部分狗有帶病。有人說，『你們為什麼不麻醉這些狗，然後再送到別處去？』這個辦法完全行不通，因為這很花錢又費時，而且那些狗還會回到原來的地方。」
有些獵人說他們對這樣大量捕殺也感到難受，但他們接受這麼做是有必要的。
The Baghdad provincial government has pledged to continue destroying stray dogs in the capital despite safety worries and accusations of animal cruelty.
Earlier this year, the city authorities hired teams of hunters and vets to dispose of the bulk of the estimated 1.25 million ownerless dogs that live in and around Baghdad, following concerns they were spreading disease and setting upon residents.The problem has been exacerbated by Baghdad's mounting waste problems, with wild dogs and rodents feasting on piles of rubbish.
Dr. Latif Jaseb, Baghdad's director of health, said there have been 26 registered cases of rabies since January.
And although the city has no records of the number of attacks, there have been reports of feral dog packs mauling and fatally injuring locals.
"The number of dogs on our streets is a danger to everyone ... the campaign will continue," said Baghdad Governor Salah Abdul Razzaq. "The teams are using poisoned meat and we have hired hunters with rifles to shoot them."
According to the governor's office, 58,500 dogs have been killed over the last three months.
But the culling methods have sparked an outcry among animal rights activists who have called for the animals to be neutered or relocated instead.
"This is a savage way to get rid of animals. We demand a stop to such methods and hope that authorities will listen to our views," said Nabeel Abdulhassan, manager of Nature Iraq.
Baghdad residents have also complained that the presence of hunters and poisoned meat is making their neighborhoods unsafe for children.
Governor Abdul Razzaq admitted that there are safety concerns, "especially in poor neighborhoods where children don't listen to the warnings of the special teams [of hunters]."
But Abbas Salem Hannoun, an official at the health ministry's veterinary department, says there is no other way of dealing with the problem.
"We don't have any choice but to kill and poison the dogs. Most of these dogs are carrying disease. Some say, 'Why don't you anesthetize the dogs and take them outside of the city?' But this method is a total failure because it requires time and money, and the dogs will return to the same place they were taken from."
Some of the hunters say they feel uncomfortable with the mass culling, but accept that it's necessary.
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作者
In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
