Protests Against Dog Killing with 'Acid' Continue in Shiraz

A group in Shiraz protested against the killing of dogs in the city on Thursday, April 27, in front of the Environmental Protection Agency of Fars Province. According to reports from domestic news agencies and photos published from this gathering, participants demanded an end to the killing of dogs, a rapid change in methods for controlling animal populations, and punishment for those responsible for the recent killings. The slogans on the placards carried by the protesters suggest that at least some of the activists aimed to express their civil demands within the framework of societal norms: "Religious command, compassion for animals" or "Animals, like us, are God's creatures; do not take the lives of God's creatures" were among the slogans carried by the demonstrators. The recent protests began first on social media with the release of a short film. In this film, published by animal rights groups in Iran, four individuals are seen killing several dogs by injecting a type of liquid—reported by activists to be acid. The dogs' reactions indicate that the chosen method for ending these animals' lives is extremely painful and involves considerable suffering. Many users on social media wrote that they could not watch the video in its entirety due to its distressing content. The Animal Support Association, in an open letter—copies of which were shared on social media—reminded Mohammad Ahmadi, the governor of Fars, that municipalities and rural councils are prohibited from killing dogs and are instead "obligated to capture, sterilize, and rehome these animals," a directive that, according to the association, "has not yet been implemented in Shiraz." The scope of protests and discussions among opponents—and rarely supporters—has also spread to the social media pages of prominent figures in the country and has led to comments from several officials. Bahram Radan, a cinema actor, severely criticized the dog killers on his Facebook page, writing: "Inject it, my Shirazi friend, proudly inject acid into the spines of the dogs, do not show mercy to their cries and moans; for delivering each carcass of those voiceless beings, your masters will reward you. Tell your child to proudly announce his father's job at school: 'My father is a dog killer, he kills dogs with acid.' Although you created bitter moments for us by making us watch your disgusting video, we have no complaints against you. My God, your God, and the God of those dogs are one; we will leave your account to Him." Hossein Ali Ebrahimi Karnami, the director of the Environmental Protection Agency of Fars, told ISNA news agency that he has instructed the "technical deputy of the Environmental Protection Organization" to follow up on the matter. On the other hand, Qasem Akbari, the mayor of District 5 of Shiraz, confirmed in an interview with Fars news agency that the killing took place in the "Shiraz Industrial Town" and emphasized that this location is under the supervision of the waste management organization, stating that "the responsibility for killing dogs in these towns does not fall on the municipality." Despite differing opinions, it seems that the protests by animal rights activists against the dog killings in Shiraz are not yet over, and a new call for another gathering, this time in front of the Shiraz municipality, has been circulated on social media. Previously, in the incident involving the release of a video showing a dog carcass being dragged by a car in Razavi Khorasan Province, protests led to the arrest of the offending driver.