Borino municipal council has approved a six-year programme to control the population of stray dogs, but the document does not say how many animals there are, how much the implementation will cost or which shelter will be used. It does, however, assign what amount to almost official duties to regional media – to promote the measures, “correctly” report the results and even help find new owners.

A close reading of the document leaves the impression that Borino has finally found a solution to a long-running problem. Not through a proper count, a shelter, control over dog owners and a functioning neutering programme, but through the regional media.

Media as a volunteer task force

Section 7.4 of the programme lists the media among those responsible for its implementation.

They are expected to “actively promote the measures set out in the Programme for reducing the population of stray dogs in Borino municipality”, promote the municipality’s regulations on the registration, keeping and control of dogs, provide “correct reporting” of the results of the programme and “actively assist/participate in finding new owners for stray dogs”.

Journalists are thus assigned a role resembling that of a volunteer task force working for the administration – to promote, assist, participate and, above all, report “correctly”.

What exactly “correctly” means is not explained.

Presumably it means not asking: how many dogs are there, how much money will be spent, who will catch them, who will neuter them, who will return them, who is responsible when someone is bitten and why the document contains passages that appear to have been copied from elsewhere.

Because there is such a passage.

The copy-and-paste mistake: the mayor of Smolyan takes control

Section 8.1 of the programme states, word for word:

“The implementation of the Municipal Programme for controlling the population of stray dogs and the action plans under Article 40, paragraph 3 of the Animal Protection Act shall be managed by the mayor of Smolyan municipality.”

Not Borino. Smolyan.

The sentence strongly suggests that the document was copied, most likely from a similar programme adopted by Smolyan municipality, but was not read either by the person who submitted it or by those who voted for it.

Mathematics without numbers and phantom shelters

The programme says that a count of stray dogs will be carried out when implementation begins.

In other words, the document was approved before anyone knew exactly how many dogs were supposed to be covered by the measures.

At the same time, it introduces “mass neutering”, with a target of “no less than 50% of neutered animals from the total stray dog population during the first 12 months”.

Fifty per cent of what?

The programme provides no answer.

There is no figure for the stray dog population. No calculation of how many animals need to be caught. No cost estimate for catching, neutering, marking, vaccinating, deworming, housing and returning the animals.

There is also no annual budget.

The financing section lists possible sources – the municipal budget, money collected through the dog ownership fee, donations, projects and other sources – but provides no concrete amount.

The only specific figure in the programme is that 39 owned dogs are registered across the entire municipality.

The programme also states that Borino does not plan to build a temporary shelter. Instead, it says shelters in neighbouring municipalities “will be used”.

Which municipalities? It does not say.

Which shelters? Are there agreements in place? Do they have capacity? How much will this cost? Who will be responsible for the animals once they are caught?

There are no answers.

There is, however, an expectation that the media will help find them new owners.

Approved unanimously – and apparently unread

The Borino programme lists serious risks associated with stray dogs, including disease, bites, road accidents, fear among residents and inhumane treatment of animals.

But alongside those concerns, the document offers little in the way of concrete planning.

At the council meeting, mayor Mustafa Karaahmed at least stated the problem in simple terms: such a programme is required, but stray dogs are a national-level problem and “no funding is being provided for this purpose”.

The law requires a programme.

Borino municipality adopted one.

The councillors approved it unanimously – without, it appears, reading all of it.