Activists Demand Independent Investigation Into Dog Burial Site in Lilo, Petition Gathers Around 3,500 Signatures

Channel 1 TV has obtained footage showing how stray dogs taken from the streets at night are transported and dumped into special pits. According to the footage, its authors and observations, a minibus full of dead dogs, with the shelter symbols removed, leaves the municipal animal shelter on Tvalchrelidze Street after 00:00 and heads to the Veli cemetery. At night it sometimes makes two trips.

At the same time, for months people who care for street dogs have said that vaccinated, healthy dogs with special ear tags are disappearing from their usual surroundings.

Before the October 31 broadcast of journalist Nata Kajaia's report on Channel 1's "Shabatis Etheri", following the announcement, animal rights advocates went to the site and released footage they recorded there themselves: pits filled with dead dogs. Rights advocates say some of the dogs were killed violently.

Nanuka Dirtkbilashvili says: "Do you know why the dogs in the graves have bulging eyes? The liquidation procedure is carried out by two 'humans': the so-called veterinarian and the so-called cynologist. The cynologist catches the dog with a lasso (an iron-handled loop) to stop it, sometimes lifting it into the air, which causes the dog to asphyxiate, and at this time the other one stands on its feet, holding it still, and injects a needle into the heart muscle!"

On November 1 at 6:30, an animal lovers' and activists' rally is announced in front of the Government Administration. Activists have also drawn up a petition, which had around 3,500 people signing it by 15:00 on November 1.

The petition reads: "We demand not a formal response, but a full, independent and effective investigation, the identification of all possible crimes and the punishment of responsible persons in the manner established by law. Prove to us that there are not so many state structures in place only to punish peaceful protesters!"

The Tbilisi City Hall calls the incident, the circulating footage and the public reaction a "targeted campaign" which, based on "unverified and false information", aims "to discredit the activities of the animal monitoring agency and the entire city hall and to deliberately damage its reputation". The city hall statement names as unlawful and dangerous actions the "arbitrary opening of graves, removal of animal remains, their relocation and similar actions".

According to the city hall, the video material of Channel 1 TV depicts a process that is fully permitted by legislation. The grave is intended for the remains of dogs that died for various reasons in Tbilisi, including animals that died from disease, road accidents, accidents and natural death. The city hall writes that hundreds of animals are euthanized and thousands die of natural causes each year across the capital.

According to the city hall, law enforcement bodies have already been approached to examine the "vandalous act" committed by a certain group and to take appropriate legal action. The public is urged not to follow unverified information, not to take part in dangerous arbitrary actions, and to rely only on official, verified information.