Animal rights defenders held a gathering outside Tehran’s municipality headquarters for a second day in a row on August 19 to protest the killing of stray dogs by city officials in Iran’s capital and suburbs.

Photos published on social media show a few hundred demonstrators who were condemning the killing of dogs by acid, poison and other methods as cruel treatment and were demanding steps to be taken against those responsible.

Apparently, besides municipality workers, contractors are also involved in killing dogs, often without respecting regulations.

The official government news website, IRNA says the protesters interrupted remarks by a municipality official and when he was retreating into the building, they moved toward him, prompting police to intervene and arrest several protesters, disbanding the gathering.

A member of Tehran City Council, Majid Farahani condemned the forceful measures “against a civil protest by defenders of animal rights”.

Recently, there have been numerous posts on social media showing dogs captured by municipality-linked services housed in a desolate place without food, water and shelter.