Story By: Anastasia Smirnova, Sub-Editor:  Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News

A Russian MP wants to get stray dogs off the streets and has come up with a way to make money too by selling them to countries like China and South Korea where they eat them.

However, local member of the parliament Vladimir Esipov, who said he came up with the proposal to save taxpayers money, insisted that he expected the dogs to find new homes in these lands through adoption with local families, and not to be eaten.

Esipov, from the city of Balakovo in south-western Russia’s Saratov Oblast region, supposedly suggested selling stray animals to Asian countries because they were near, and not because they would eat the dogs.

He noted that there are way too many stray dogs in the city of Saratov, and those which are being caught by dog hunters are usually sent to animal shelters.

He said it was crazy that the dogs stay there for 12 days, and after that are released again on to the streets without getting sterilised.

Esipov noted that shelters are full beyond full and there is no money in the budget to build any additional ones.

He said: “Have you thought of such option as selling those stray dogs from the Saratov Oblast region to foreigners from such countries as China or Korea? This would allow us to save up on catching them, and they will not breed any further.”

He claimed that he picked these countries because they are geographically closer to his home region and not because they ate dog.

Netizen ‘Tina Sevastopol’ said: “I think it is time to save up on his salary. Such a mean way to save money.”

Another one ‘Dmitriy Makarov’ added: “Poor puppies.”

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