Stray dogs in Chisinau will be put to sleep unless they are claimed by their owners or adopted within 10 days, under a City Council's decision from 2001. The municipal authorities decided to reestablish the old rule in response to what they call a growing threat from the packs of homeless dogs and the increase in the incidence of dog bites, Info-Prim Neo reports. The municipal authorities said 6 children were recently hospitalized as a result of dog bites. The worst bitten was a 10-year-old boy, who may need 2 weeks of recovery in hospital care. Last year 1,646 persons were bitten by dogs, including 150 children. Tudor Maniv, the head of the Motorsanitation division, reported that the number of dogs caught in 2009 was around 20,000. In January 2010, their number reached 2,138. Maniv says that the stray dogs mostly inhabit parking lots, building sites and warehouses, where they are kept for guarding without official authorization. Chisinau Mayor Dorin Chirtoaca says that, while a small part of the Chisinau residents feel empathy for the stray dogs, most of them are concerned. “Even the animal rights' nongovernmental organizations say that the stray dogs are not like domestic dogs anymore. The stray dogs become wild and pose a threat to the lives of the people”, says the mayor. He insists that watchdogs should be banned unless they are registered. “This cannot be tolerated any longer. We came to see cases where people are killed and children are severely injured”, said the mayor, adding that he acknowledges the risks associated with such a forceful decision.