SOCHI, Russia (AP) — Thousands of stray dogs have been living amid the mud and rubble of Olympic construction sites, roaming the streets and snowy mountainsides, and begging for scraps of food. ADVERTISING SOCHI, Russia (AP) — Thousands of stray
SOCHI, Russia (AP) — Thousands of stray dogs have been living amid the mud and rubble of Olympic construction sites, roaming the streets and snowy mountainsides, and begging for scraps of food.
But as the games draw near, authorities turned to a company to catch and kill the animals so they don’t bother Sochi’s new visitors — or even wander into an Olympic event.
Alexei Sorokin, director general of pest control firm Basya Services, told the Associated Press his company had a contract to exterminate the animals throughout the Olympics, which open Friday.
Sorokin described his company as being involved in the “catching and disposing” of dogs, although he refused to specify how the dogs would be killed or say where they would take the carcasses.
The dogs have been causing numerous problems, Sorokin said Monday, including “biting children.”
He said he was stunned last week when he attended a rehearsal for the opening ceremony and saw a stray dog walking in on the performers.
