The City Veterinary Office said the execution of some 4,000 stray dogs in Zamboanga City has been legal and necessary since the drive against stray dogs began years ago.

From January to June of this year alone, over 1,000 dogs have been executed for causing problems in the streets of Zamboanga City. Most of those executed were those stray dogs that add problems to the garbage woes in Zamboanga City.

Dr. Luz Vanessa Grace Jimenea, City Pound Officer of the City Veterinary Office, said they have to intensify campaign on dog-catching as complaints mounted against stray dogs that contribute to the garbage woes of the city.

Many residents of the city have been complaining that dogs scatter garbage into the roads and consequently make the city streets dirty, said Jimenea while guesting in DXKZ 91.5 FM’s “El Isyu Ahora” program.

Jimenea said they average about 300 dogs a month in their dog-catching campaign. Owners of stray dogs are given only three days to claim their animals before they will be executed.

She said the dogs are executed through “mercy killing” by way of administering poisonous injection.

The veterinary office has been receiving several requests from various government and private institutions to help catch stray dogs. The recent request was at the school campus of the Western Mindanao State University.

Jimenea said barangays are also being trained by CVO to do dog-catching campaigns.