For the first part of the story of the dogs caged outside a manufacturing company in Butmir, Sarajevo, go here.
Last night Jelena Paunović wrote and published an article about this situation: DIREKTOR PRAVI LOGOR ZA PSE (it’s in Serbo-Croatian).

Jelena reported the situation to Elzana Bećir the veterinary inspector. This is her response: “Dogs have food and water, I do not understand what you are complaining about! They do not have roof on their cage, so what? Do you know how many dogs there are in Sarajevo? You accused a man of wrongdoing for no reason, and you are those who should take care to solve this problem.”
The article goes on to talk about what is legally required from the veterinary inspector: The Law on the Protection and Welfare of Animals (Article 38) clearly defines the duties of the official veterinarian. In this case, the inspector is required to temporarily or permanently remove the animals and place them in another appropriate place. If the dog shelters are already full, the inspector would not be allowed to leave without ordering the director of the company to immediately improve the conditions of the suffering dogs.

The director of ‘Stigma Ltd’ was interviewed. He ordered to his employees to catch and put dogs into an improvised cage because the mayor of the Ilidža Municipality, Senaid Memić, said that the team from Gladno Polje shelter in Sarajevo would come for them.

(Please note that this is the SAME Municipality and therefore mayor of the horrific shelter at Hreša. For information on Gladno Polje and Hreša, go here: Horror Camps for Animals in Bosnia. Although Hreša was closed, we have still received no news of the ‘investigation’.)

Jelena followed up with Sanela Kotorić Etterle of Gladno Polje shelter and was told by Sanela that “The acceptance of new dogs in Gladno Polje is currently suspended. Our facilities are more than full. I would like to invite all citizens interested in adopting a dog, to visit us and choose your best friend. Only if dogs that are in shelters are homed is there an opportunity to accept new dogs. A permanent solution to the problem of stray dogs cannot be made by the existence of shelters. If this is a problem of the whole community, then that community should participate in solving problems, not adding more and more complications to our work.”

The article ends by saying that animal rights activists are doing all they can to help in this situation, but that they certainly cannot solve the entire problem. The director of the company has accepted this help, but it remains to be seen how the situation really develops. “Dogs will spend the night among the fences, under the open sky without any shelter. If the rain falls during the night, in the morning all will lie in mud and their own faeces. We left a bag of food for the dogs, that the workers poured over fences in the same dung and mud,” said animal activist Sandra Kenda.

The good news from today is that Sandra Kenda rescued the pregnant female dog. She’s now called Majkica.

Majkica

Also, after reading the above article, the director of Stigma Ltd made a roof on the dogs’ cage. He also told the media that Jelena and her animal activist colleagues were the only ones who offered to help with the dogs.

And, a generous sponsor offered to have all seven puppies vaccinated. A vet was brought this evening to do this.

Jelena feels that this situation is very important is it indicates the only way for such issues to be solved is if people work together. Most citizens of Bosnia think the only solution for the stray dog issue is just to put a dogs in shelters. Need I say more about those? I’m sorry to post this photograph from Hreša again, but it is typical of most shelters in this country…
Please sign and share our petition regarding what happened at Hreša – we want to close it soon and hope to get to 20,000 signatures. Demand Investigation into Horror Shelter in Hresa, Bosnia.

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HOW TO HELP
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, 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.