This photograph was taken just a few days ago in Sarajevo, at the dog “shelter” called ‘Prihvatilište KS Prača’, commonly known as ‘Praca’. Praca is a private shelter owned and built by Murai Komerc (a construction company) with contracts with Sarajevo municipalities to take in dogs from the street (on a per dog basis) and to provide them with appropriate care.
Below is a photograph of some of the dog pens – in midday.
Taking photos in the “shelter” is forbidden. These photographs were taken secretly. In order to visit you have to say which dog you want to visit. You cannot just go and walk in or walk around. Praca is about 45 km away from Sarajevo, and difficult to get to by public transport, thus making it difficult for anyone to visit to check on activities there.
Praca in 2012
Two months after Praca was built (March 2012, it opened on 30th March 2012) reports said there was no electricity or running water in the “shelter”, that there was no fence around the compound, nobody there during the night, not enough food for dogs, no veterinarian. There were 15 workers and 500 dogs.
The following photographs were taken late last year:
An attempt to publicise the situation (with these photographs) last year did not have any results. After that, we did not know what exactly the conditions were in Praca other than most animal friendly citizens in Sarajevo described it as ‘a concentration camp for dogs’.
Praca in 2013
‘”The picture is scary with creepy sounds and incessant barking. Everything is terribly dirty, unfinished buildings, leaking from all sides…. Stench spreads all around. There are many cages facing each other, divided by a narrow corridor. Almost no light enters most of the cages, cages are in pitch dark during the day. Many cages are floating in water, mud, urine and faeces. Small/young dogs are barking, terrified of bigger dogs that are facing them in opposite cages. Blankets or rugs donated are not used. Workers say: “Don’t you see how much water there is, as soon as we put blankets in or over the cages for cover, they become wet and we have to throw them away … we do not have possibility to wash or dry them …“‘
HOW TO HELP
Please sign and share the following petition:
Demand Investigation into Concentration Camp for Dogs in Sarajevo
Please note, March 7, 2013 – This post has been modified from its original version in order to ensure the safety of anyone who might be connected to the photographs.
Update: March 14, 2014 – Praca is closed until Sunday 17th of March for ‘renovations’
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DONATIONS
Funds are needed not only to help individual rescues and to help us keep safe the 20 rescued dogs we are sponsoring but also to continue our advocacy work in Bosnia, uncovering the truth about what is happening there.
On our sister site, Animal Welfare Advocates for Bosnia, you can set up a monthly donation via PayPal, or if you want to make a one-off donation, please go to your PayPal account (or set one up, it’s very easy) and send the money to: donations@awabosnia.org as a ‘gift’. Click on the image below to be taken to PayPal’s home page.
Or if you want to use the customised PayPal form, click the link below. However, a transaction fee and a percentage (2- 5.4%) will be deducted by PayPal for any contribution made.
If you want your contribution to go to a specific dog or cause, please make a note in the PayPal comment box. If you wish to contribute via bank transfer or have other difficulties or questions, please go here.
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This site is dedicated to Vučko. Read his story and don’t let him have suffered and died in vain. Please help the stray dogs and cats in Bosnia-Herzegovina. The situation there is utterly dire, Vučko is but one amongst many horrifically abused animals. Go here to find out how to help them. Money is needed for food, medicine and foster housing. Even just one dollar or one euro will help.
IN MEMORY OF VUČKO 
PLEASE POST THIS ONTO FACEBOOK I HAVE TRIED BUT DON’T THINK IT HAS GONE. THANK YOU
I am incredibly sad over this… and extremely angry
Er zijn geen woorden voor dit wrede dierenleed maar we mogen niet op geven laat de moet niet zakken ,we moeten doorgaan voor al die onschuldige dieren die ze om het leven hebben gebracht en mishandeld we zijn het aan ze verplicht ,ik doe alles ,ik vecht ik teken en ik doneer ,dus mensen vecht door wand we doen het voor HEN!!wand wij zijn met ze’n alle schuldig aan dit vreselijke dierenleed,dus is het aan ons om het te beëindigen
Goodness, Sandra, Every day brings a new horror. It’s so hard to view such abuse and dreadful suffering, but I have to see what goes on, in all its terrible graphic detail. My heart cries out for help for these sweet and innocent creatures. I cannot imagine the sights that greet those trying to make a difference, or the total lack of support, empathy or assistance from those with the power to make changes happen. I cried when I viewed the latest images; darling dogs and puppies- including one sweet little angel who looked to be fast asleep– simply abandoned to endure a painful and lingering death, then discarded like old rubbish. Oh, for a lottery win, to help save so many from a similar fate, and to make life bearable for those who have already suffered indescribable pain, abuse and utter distress. Please accept another small donation, for use in any way-just wish I could send more. Bless you all, and thank you. Jackie Smith
These poor dogs all have a look of utter horror. No animal deserves to live like this.
Brutal…just brutal….I will keep sharing until this petition gets filled up…I just cant not understand how anyone can ignore this….I dont understand how those workers can let this go on…I wish someone would break into this hell hole and just free every dog in there. They were better off on the streets….
Oh God…. :((((
this horror for the dogs must be stopt .this people must take care fot them .the are monsters
I wrote before and told you what I told you then. I am very poor by the standards of any country. I have 2 dogs of our own which my wife and I though struggling make sure our dogs are fed before we are and they are healthy and happy and with all our troubles they make us and keep us happy. If I was possible to have one of the dogs sent here we would be happy to take one but I know that is impossible. So I wish you the best in your efforts and will pray for you and all the dogs you are working so hard to save.
Thanks Stephen, I appreciate your support, it means a lot.
je suis horrifiée,en colère,révoltée par tant d’inhumanité.Comment ces MONSTRES peuvent ainsi laisser agoniser ces pauvres betes sans aucun remord?Ils meurent à petit feu et dans quelles souffrances.Les larmes me montent aux yeux.J’ai signé la pétition et en signerai encore tant que ce massacre durera.J’aimerai signer une pétition ou je suis certaine qu’il y aura énormément de signatures pour que l’on fasse subir le meme sort à ces MONSTRES.Merci pour votre courage,je suis de tout coeur avec vous et je vous en FELICITE.BAV
Petition signed. These poor innocent creatures were better off chancing their luck in the streets.
Total inhumanity. This is horrible. They say that you can get an idea of the humanity of a society by the way it treats it’s animals, disabled and children……
It does look like a concentration camp for dogs….Poor babies, especially the puppies!!!
Wow they in deffinante help here no food electricity probably no claen water for these poor helpless animals . Can we get a lot of hope here for these guys THEY NEED HELP MAJORLY !!!!!!! If you can not donate Please HELP BY SPREADING THE WORD !!!
Whomever is responsible for this atrocity should have to suffer. They should be imprisoned and have to suffer a crippling fine. Truthfully, I honestly don’t think that’s enough. I’m sure some people will think me a psycho, but I wouldn’t object to these people suffering EXACTLY what they made these animals suffer! If they have no conscience when it comes to animals, I doubt they have much for humans. Most serial killers start killing animals before they start on people.
IT IS JUST A DISGRACE…AND SOME PEOPLA CALL THEMSELFS HUMAN?
Shannon, you are not a psycho, these people are psychos… it’s disgusting and subhuman. It makes me so mad I fantasize about doing horrible things to the people that do this to animals.
Como puede ser posible tanta brutalidad y falta de respeto hacia estos seres vivos son unos estúpidos!!
It is so like what happens in some areas of Italy, where they are paid for the number of dogs they take in, but the money is not spent on feed or care just goes in people’s pockets
I’m in a similar situation as a commenter earlier; I have no money and support two cats and two dogs (all rescued), and I’m too far away to be able to help in person. I googled the area (Sarajevo Praca), and found out that there’s currently a Winter Festival in Sarajevo, and there’s a bit of a tourism industry in the area. The Winter Festival is supported by UNESCO, so I sent them a message about the horrific conditions in the shelter. I also sent an email to the Tourism Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina (http://www.bhtourism.ba/eng/contacts.wbsp) and told them that a shelter like this is bad for tourism. Maybe other people can send messages too. And there is a university where I signed the guest book (http://www.ues.rs.ba/en/customer-services/guestbook) telling them about the shelter. I don’t know if any of this would help, but if a lot of people (specially from Europe) would tell them that they’ll boycot Sarajevo and will encourage their friends to do the same, maybe it’d have some result? Just an idea… I’m sick and tired of feeling helpless.
this is a GREAT idea! can more of us follow these links and leave messages???
Jessica this is a great idea! Thank you so much.
It doesn’t have a link for me to sign the petition!
”Taking photos in the “shelter” is forbidden. These photographs were taken secretly. In order to visit you have to call in advance to make an appointment and you have to say which dog you want to visit. You cannot just go and walk in or walk around. Praca is about 60 km away from Sarajevo, and difficult to get to by public transport, thus making it difficult for anyone to visit to check on activities there.”
U don’t need to call in advance, that’s not true, the visit is everyday 13.00-16.00 in winter time, u don’t need to call, u are liear!!! Sandra and company!! 😦 Prava is 45km, from Stari Grad – and I think in every country – Ireland and so on u don’t have shelter in the centre of city 😦 TRue or not? Rehoming center maybe, but u can’t go when u want to go:)))
I have made changes to reflect that it’s currently not necessary to telephone in advance. However your information is contrary to what was experienced by people in Sarajevo last year. The dog shelter here in Cork, is in a shopping mall area, 7 KM from the centre of the city. Public opening hours are 10 – 1 and 2 – 4 and no appointment necessary.
I think they should put the people in here and throw away the key.Heartless and cold those people.
Disgusting bastards may you all burn in hell!!
This is all human fault.