On December 30 of 2009 Tbilisi Mayor’s Office announced tender for management of the number of homeless animals and the tender materials were also published on the web page of the Mayor’s Office. The object of purchase was humane catching - isolation and veterinary supervision of more than 20 000 homeless dogs and cats in Tbilisi. The deadline for submission of bids was January 20 and the period of provision of the service included time after signature of the agreement till 31.12.2010, which practically encompasses 11 months. The bidder could get acquainted with tender documentation before paying of the compulsory participation fee.

On 15.01.2010 the Chairman of GSPSA Temur Tsikoridze got acquainted with tender documentation in the Mayor’s Office of Tbilisi. After this it became obvious that according to tender documents it was intended to catch 20 000 homeless dogs and cats during 11 months in Tbilisi for their consequent transfer to the veterinary clinic. The address of the veterinary clinic was not mentioned. According to the documents animals should be given veterinary check-up and inspection and it was supposed that 20% of animals i.e. 4000 of them had to be given out to new owners and the remaining 80% which in figures equals to 16 000 should be subject to euthanasia i.e. killing.

“Georgian Society for Protection and Safety of Animals” expresses its extreme concern about terms and conditions of the tender and calls for the municipality to resolve the problem in a civilized and humane form providing for the rights of human beings as well as animals.

Based on terms and conditions of the tender GSPSA considers the bid unacceptable and thinks that not even a single professional veterinary clinic and physical person shall take a part in such a tender. According to the Chairman of GSPSA Temur Tsikoridze this tender is directed towards extermination of animals and not towards a state purchase of a veterinary service. These terms and conditions contradict any international, civilized rules and norms. Besides this, according to the legislation of Georgia and other legal normative acts it is not allowed to kill healthy animals neither dogs nor cats. As for euthanasia, in Georgia euthanasia is forbidden and its application is punishable by law.

With the aim of stopping and cancellation of this unacceptable program GSPSA shall shortly make public statements addressing them to the government and international organizations.

GSPSA still hopes that the municipality shall reconsider its wrong position and try to resolve the issue in a civilized manner.

Voluntarily created by GSPSA member Irakli Geleishvili