Activists oppose deporting Moscow's stray dogs

[February 28, 2011]  MOSCOW (AP) -- It might sound like a great way to escape the mean streets of Moscow, hang out with buddies and get free food. But animal protection activists are aghast at a proposal to send the Russian capital's stray dogs to an isolation facility outside the city.

City authorities on Tuesday will discuss the proposal to round up Moscow's estimated 26,000 stray dogs and move them to a camp in the Yaroslavl region about 250 kilometers (150 miles) to the northeast. Veterinarian Artyom Zverev warned Monday the facility could become a breeding ground for disease. He and other activists also suggest that strays from outlying regions could move into the capital. Moscow's strays are famous for their street smarts, many of them learning to sleep in the city's subway stations and even ride on the trains. [Associated Press] Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.