Why kill our dogs?

By Kassahun Addis

The millennium bonanza is approaching as the nation is finalizing preparations that according to some matches the military regime propaganda and parade. The government, the media and the private press are all trying to exploit, to the maximum possible, the event. In a rare occurrence and to the surprise of many, residents of Addis Ababa are asked to raise flags in public and private establishments. Cafeterias and night clubs have increased the rate of service charges and items counting on the expected flocks of Diaspora and tourists.

All Ethiopian human beings are hoping for upcoming festivities and bright future amidst rising cost of living. However, Ethiopian dogs must be feeling down by the apparent decision of the Addis Ababa City administration to slaughter, by way of poisoning, all homeless dogs. The decision came on Wednesday as part and parcel of the final preparations to make the city appear clean and clear of the daily realities on the ground. I am not saying the city doesn’t need some cleaning and clearing. What I am saying is that, we should not use the philosophy of ‘the end justifies the means’. In this particular case, “clean and clear” Addis Ababa which is the end is to be done by a means that is cruel and uncivilized, poisoning homeless, but Ethiopian, dogs on the streets of the city.

In some cases, killing animals might be justified on the ground that we, humans, need their meat and blood, to sustain our lives. An act of self defense is also another instance where killing might be justified. But in this particular case, it is aesthetics that justify the mass slaughter, dogicide. We are killing poor Ethiopian dogs just to have fun and build a false image.
This can actually be interpreted as a selfish and anti-nature sentiment of whoever decided and executed the slaughter of the dogs. It shows disregard for the balancing role nature may play in its own time. I heard that Tanzanians love nature, animals, plants and the physical surroundings that they make sure no harm is done on nature. Any other Ethiopian should learn from Tanzanians this lesson too.

Dogicide is an act that should be condemned in the strongest word possible and a cause worthy of fighting against. My amateur psychoanalyst and Freudian friends told me that such decision is manifestation and release of the ‘male stereotype’ aggressive energy. So, they recommend that those individuals making the decision should try to redirect their aggressive energy to other areas of life, possibly sport.

I have talked to the people who were supposed to be advocates of homeless animals, Homeless Animals Protection Society (HAPS), but to my dismay and possibly to the Ethiopian dogs they are not aware of the decision. This was a perfect opportunity to voice their concern and the purpose of their association. Anyway I informed them of the situation and they told me they condemn such an act, typical of an NGO. “It is not an effective method” an official told me adding that they could have been spayed or neutered, whatever these words may mean. According to them pragmatism dictates that it is a dangerous undertaking to poison the dogs as the corpse contributes to the already dire pollution problem in the country. Moreover, a poisoned dog can possibly escape and face its final moment beyond the reach of the expert dog corpse collectors. And such incident may open the door for disturbance and imbalance in the food chain.
This is how it happens. A dog is poisoned and dies, it is eaten by bird and the bird, too, dies and falls down and become a perfect lunch for another cat or domestic dog which also dies and it goes on like this. This is not a slippery slope but a possibility.

Experience has also shown that dogicide is not a solution to the problem. There had always been mass slaughter packages and that didn’t help any one except exposing the cruelties of some.
The bottom line is that the Addis Ababa city administration is preparing for the third millennium with a mentality of the second millennium. Stop killing our dogs.

Kassahun Addis is an independent analyst of politics in the Horn of Africa. He can be reached at kassax@gmail.com.

September 1, 2007