The issue of proper animal care remains relevant, and often a barrier to solutions is the municipal police's lack of awareness of how to act in various situations.
The incident in the Bauska region, where three dogs were shot, also revealed problems in cooperation and decision-making among various parties. The lack of shelters, inadequate penalties, uncontrolled breeders, and the absence of a unified algorithm also hinder the improvement of the situation in this area. Issues of animal protection, including stray animals, significantly affect hunters.
"It is clear why people turn to us in cases of threats from stray animals, especially in rural areas. Because we are the most accessible. However, I strongly advise our members to stay away from such matters," said Arthur Surmovich, Deputy Chairman of the Latvian Hunters' Union, at a meeting of the Saeima Commission on Defense, Internal Affairs, and Corruption Prevention. In his opinion, it is unfair to consider the hunter the sole culprit who faces public condemnation after incidents like the one in Bauska. He noted that there are currently no tools to influence irresponsible dog owners who allow their pets to roam unsupervised and scare others; they do not take the imposed fines seriously, and often nothing is collected from them.
The head of the organization "Ķepu sargi," Karina Wilson, in turn, pointed out that the municipal police lack sufficient knowledge in this area. She realized this from her own experience when she had to explain what sterilization of cats means - that it applies to both males and females. Police officers often fear approaching dogs and scanning their chips; they lack skills in dealing with stray animals as well as wild ones. There are cases where the only option is to call a hunter to end the suffering of a severely injured animal because the veterinarian does not dare to approach it.
