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SOCHI, Russia — People headed to Sochi to see the Winter Olympics will probably see a lot of stray dogs, too.
KSL reporters noticed a pack of about 10 dogs walking around their hotel area when they arrived in Sochi about a week ago. Now, although dogs can still be seen, fewer are roaming around.
The city hired a pest control company to capture stray dogs in the Mountain and Coastal clusters of these Olympic games. Animal activists in Sochi say the city hasn't built a shelter for the dogs that was promised and is allowing them to be killed instead.
Sochi resident Dina Filippova said that's not right, so she set up a stand to try to find a home for stray puppies.
The director of the company that contracted with Sochi to capture dogs told NBC News thousands of dogs are roaming the streets and some have bitten children. Sochi city officials are worried the dogs could bite visitors during the Olympics.
The company wouldn't say what happens to the dogs after they're captured. One Olympic volunteer from Oregon, Nadine Kincaid, believes a mass sterilization plan would be better. Still, she knows all these dogs are an issue.
"As an animal lover, for me that's sad," she said. "But if they're like stray cats, they can keep breeding and cause more problems. I could see maybe why it's sad, but what do you do if you can't control them?"
One dog even made it into the stadium during a dress rehearsal for the opening ceremony. City leaders said it would be embarrassing if a stray dog wandered into the stadium during the actual event.
