A doghunter is a person who sincerely believes that by killing dogs, he saves the world and does a good deed. But, if you delve into the history of the movement's creation and understand the essence of ideology, it turns out that there are very few good intentions.
The word "doghunter" is literally translated from English as a dog fighter, a dog hunter. The movement itself was formed not so long ago, but the number of members of the community is growing rapidly, not only on the scale of any one country, but also at the global level. Doghunters also have opponents, but due to the peculiarities of their activities and ideology, it is very difficult to prevent them from killing animals. The situation is further complicated by the fact that doghunters have passive accomplices - those who approve of their activities, hide facts and support them informationally, morally and even financially.
How the doghunter movement was created
In which country and in what year the dog-hunter movement arose has not been established for certain. It is believed that its origins in Russia, it began in 2006-2008, but the European media described facts characteristic of the activities of doghantras, and much earlier - in 2001-2003. Unfortunately, it is in Russia that the movement is developing especially actively and receives powerful support from ordinary citizens.
Supporters of the cleaning of settlements of any scale from stray animals are not stopped by the threat of criminal liability for their activities, condemnation from the public and animal rights activists, the very cruelty of their actions. The movement is given special attention not only by law enforcement agencies, psychologists are also interested in it. A psychological portrait of a typical dog hunter was even compiled:
- a person over the age of 30,
- income level - average and above,
- with a propensity for violence hidden behind cultural barriers,
- with a deficit of emotional communication, more often - lonely.
As a rule, a dog hunter, who is actively working in the framework of the movement, was once attacked by a pack of stray dogs, or one of his relatives suffered from them. It is noteworthy that even opponents of the movement consider the authorities of the municipal or federal level to be the culprits of its development, which did not provide decent protection from stray animals.
The essence of doghunter ideology
Doghunters are one of the largest informal organizations not recognized by law, having not only their own strong ideology, but also a code. It says - a person must live in a safe environment and has the right to make it such by any available means. According to the doghunters' code, the main danger is homeless, uncontrolled packs of dogs, breeding or not breeding, aggressive (attacking) or harmless, posing a threat to human life and health.
Dog hunters are convinced that the authorities are unable to ensure the capture of dogs, that their keeping in kennels, overexposure centers, sterilization is unprofitable and useless, and the only way out of the situation is to exterminate them.
The activities of dog hunters, in fact, should be directed precisely against stray animals, but they do not consider it necessary to ensure that dogs with owners do not become victims. They do not explain the death of such animals in any way and consider such facts to be a kind of "costs" of their activities.
Anti-doghunter law
In the Russian Federation, the legislation does not allow cruelty either against humans or against animals. The movement of dog hunters in Russia is illegal and subject to criminal and administrative punishment. If we consider it in the legal field, then it is considered one of the types of propaganda of violence and a negative impact on the consciousness of the public.
The fact is that dog hunters not only kill stray dogs, but also create Internet communities, forums where
- are actively promoting their ideology and activities,
- post videos with appeals to citizens and calls for murder, scenes of killing dogs, guides on how to properly exterminate animals,
- are engaged in recruiting their adherents among young people.
Against the background of the increasing popularity of dog hunters, the intensification of their activities, the emergence of new organizations among young people, the increase in cases of not just murder, but cruelty to animals, the government changed some articles of criminal and administrative legislation, adopted several new ones.
Until 2015, dog hunters incurred only administrative punishment for their actions. In 2017, amendments were made to the legislation, according to which a person who killed or tortured an animal can be sentenced to a term of up to 2 years in a general or strict regime colony.
How dog hunters work
Doghunters, unlike flayers, resort, in their opinion, to the humane extermination of stray dogs by poisoning. However, it is impossible to call their actions humane, since they use drugs that bring suffering to animals:
- an anti-tuberculosis drug that brings excruciating death to a dog,
- antiemetic drugs that paralyze the respiratory system of animals,
- homeopathic remedy from the category of cardiac glycosides that kills a dog within one and a half weeks,
- plant alkaloids with instant action,
- pesticides designed to destroy rodents, paralyzing all systems of the dog's body.
The poison is carefully masked by doghunters in the so-called tabs - sausage, sausages, minced meat or fillet of meat, that is, in something that not only a homeless, hungry dog, but also a pet will not pass by. Bookmarks are made small (from 2 cm in section) so that the dog is guaranteed to eat it and the poison gets into the body. They are laid out not only in the habitats of stray dogs, but also in entrances, in playgrounds, where pets are often walked, and where (even worse) children play.
How the fight against dog hunters is conducted
Doghunters are not lane hooligans, but a community of smart people, usually with high self-esteem, ambition, and deep knowledge of jurisprudence. They are perfectly familiar with the legal norms aimed at combating them and the aspects of the law that they can use to protect themselves.
Open action against them can turn into trouble for animal advocates and opponents of the measures used by dog hunters to exterminate stray dogs. On the forums of opponents of this movement, you can find a whole list of actions that cannot be taken in the fight against dog hunters. Unacceptable and illegal
- damage to the doghunter's personal property - cars, apartments, clothes,
- humiliation of the dignity of a community member and his insult,
- harm to health and deprivation of life.
In addition, it is not recommended to dismiss the dog hunter from his job, to “persecute him” by the team, even if their involvement in the murder of the animal has been proven. Representatives of the community, as a rule, use all such facts later as arguments in their favor if it comes to court proceedings, and sometimes even receive financial compensation for such actions against them.
Measures to combat dog hunters may include contacting the police or the prosecutor's office, drawing public attention to the facts of dog poisoning, informational anti-propaganda of dog hunters, disclosing the personal data of community members, although such an act can be interpreted as slander or defamation.
Safety rules when walking a dog
You can protect your pet from the activities of dog hunters and death if you follow the simple rules for walking a dog:
- visit with a pet only specially equipped walking areas,
- remove the animal in a muzzle and do not let it off the leash,
- do not allow the dog to eat anything outside the house or out of the hands of others,
- closely monitor all actions of the dog,
- if there is a suspicion of dog hunter bookmarks, call the police.
Dog owners should understand that if an animal is poisoned with a dog-hunter bait, there is no more than 30 to 60 minutes to save it. Any change in behavior should alert and become a reason for contacting a veterinarian. The most common signs of poisoning are a sharp change in behavior (lethargy or agitation), active salivation, impaired coordination and breathing, involuntary excretion of feces or urination, vomiting, discoloration of the lips, mucous membrane of the mouth, and whites of the eyes. If at least one of the listed symptoms is noticed, you need to deliver the animal to the nearest clinic as soon as possible.
