Rules of Olympic Games and other big events should protect stray cats

The Japan Olympics have arrived (they should not be stage but that's another story). A convenient time for this quick note about big events such as the Olympics and the FIFA World Cup. These events are distributed around the globe in new places for good reason. 

The IOC wants developing nations to stage the event to enhance those countries and speed up their development. There is a problem with stray cats in these countries. In order to present to the world a good image they kill the cats. They round them up and simply kill them to clean the streets. Stray and feral cats spoil the image that they want to present to the world.

The Olympics is a vehicle for killing stray cats and dogs. Pic in public domain.

They often kill them brutally. China did this at their Olympics and at the Winter Olympics in Russia. And the same goes for stray dogs, too. This is gross animal cruelty which the world entirely accepts. Yes, the world accepts it. But it is entirely unacceptable. The IOC have extensive rules on how the Olympics are staged. They want to build a better world through sport. That's their ultimate objective. So why can't they include animals in that objective? They share the world with people.

The IOC should incorporate within their rules a clear ban on governments killing stray and feral cats before staging the Olympic Games in their country. It should specify that if these countries want to eradicate stray cats from the streets in preparation for the games, they must do it humanely through trapping and professional euthanasia with the appropriate drugs. That should be the absolute minimum requirement.

A better solution would be to relocate the cats under a TNR program commenced well in advance of the games. This could start four years before the games are staged which would give local governments adequate time to operate TNR programs in the area of the games. I know that I am making a big call and it is a steep alteration in attitude.

Local governments and national governments simply want to get rid of the problem because they are stressed in trying to prepare adequately for the Olympic Games. But it is entirely unfair, inhumane and morally wrong to brutally kill cats and dogs for this reason. The problem gets conveniently forgotten because they are 'only cats' but we put them there, they are our responsibility. And it is our responsibility to deal with them humanely and with decency. I would like the IOC to step up to the plate and do something about this unnecessary abuse of animals.