Saved from Bosnia-Herzegovina in 2013!

Posted on December 31, 2013 by Sandra Jensen

Amongst all the horror happening in Bosnia Herzegovina, we need to remember the good. This year our group, AWAB (Animal Welfare Advocates for Bosnia Herzegovina), with assistance from other animal welfare organisations and independent animal activists have helped nearly 30 dogs find forever homes outside of BiH. This is a post about some of their stories….

Loppy and Billy were homed early this year, two dogs living on the streets, and fallen in love with when their photographs were seen here on this blog and on Facebook. Now in their forever homes in the UK.
Loppy was a sad street dog, found by rescuer Ismir Musić. You can read some of his story here. He’s now a much loved member of the Prestwich family in Essex…
Billy first appeared on this blog in November last year, here. He was one of many strays being fed by activists Jelena Paunovic and others. This dog was so desperate to get back in their car….but had to be left behind as there was no money to put him in pension…

But we were soon contacted by Julie, who had read his story and wanted to adopt him! Activists managed to find him again, and took him off the streets into pension for him to be prepared for travel to the UK. Here he is now, looking so handsome!

And then there is the incredible story of Ado, a puppy run over and left to die and now living happily ever after in Slovenia. Ado… when first found:
And many months later, with his new mom!

By June 2013, we had found homes for 14 rescues and arranged transport for them with the wonderful Chris Marshall of Alstrays. You can see some of them here in our Success Stories. Perhaps the most poignant is the story of Grace, rescued from horror shelter Hreša, near Sarajevo. She first appeared in this blog here. She was completely traumatised and emaciated. She became ‘the face’ of AWAB, with this moving photograph of her being held by Mia Ožegović, one of the rescuers in Sarajevo:
Grace was put into pension and then Mette in Norway fell in love with her… and she’s now a very happy, healthy and much loved dog living in Norway.

Another very touching adoption was Marley, rescued by Arijana Ari and Jelena Paunović – here is the first post about him, and then more here.. and he was one of the few survivors of the canine parvovirus crisis. Another very timid dog, who we feared would never become socialised. But we found him an excellent foster home in East Sussex, where he was so loved they couldn’t part with him so now he is permanently homed with the family, very happy and becoming less timid by the day!

The adoption of all these dogs was a huge undertaking, successful only because of the help and assistance of many people including Vlatka Toukalek and her group, Deed for Dogs, and, of course, the rescuers in Sarajevo.

This winter we assisted with the homing of 12 more dogs and one cat… three dogs were are homed in the USA (one in Los Angeles!), four dogs in the UK, one dog in Germany and four dogs and Boxer the cat in Finland. Four dogs were actually picked up by Miska Oksanen and her step-father and driven to Finland (nearly 3000 kilometres each way!)…Most of these animals were rescued by the Sarajevo animal rescue charity Andjeo Sarajevo with help from independent rescuers.

The organisation and preparation of all these adoptions takes a monumental effort by numerous people: volunteers outside of BiH for AWAB, assistance from other rescue groups to home check and help with travel arrangements; rescuers and drivers from BiH, and donations from all over the world. It’s not possible to express our thanks enough for all this support, but if you look at the photographs of the dogs and cats in their new homes I hope you can see what a huge difference you have made.

Three of the dogs homed this winter, Bella, Noa and Felix, are disabled….All were rescued by Andjeo Sarajevo. Bella was found wandering the streets of Sarajevo, she had a missing paw. Here she is, on the streets…

And here she is making friends at the stopover in Munich before her flight to the USA. Even though she could not had an easy time as a stray, she was always a friendly, happy dog.

And here she is in her new forever home in Los Angeles…

Noa was found with a horrific injury to her hind leg, and had to have it amputated. She remained very timid and scared, and didn’t like being in kennels. You can in the photographs below his serious wound, and how timid and scared this poor dog was…

And then… a lovely couple who live in Buffalo, New York, fell in love with Noa. She is settling in very well.

Noa, being nervously admired in the airport:

Resting in her new home after the very long flight.And with her new dad and a friend!
And the latest photograph, look how much more confident and happy she looks!
Felix is another miracle story. He was found in a field, unable to walk properly, his hind quarters were not functioning properly and he was in terrible pain. He had to be sent to Croatia for extended surgery to save both hind legs. It is likely he was in a car accident, or deliberately wounded.

He spent a long time in the veterinary surgery and although the operation was deemed successful, he seemed to be getting aggressive and thin. But with the support from animal activists we placed him in a very good foster home where he was soon much happier. A forever home was found for him in Germany where he is doing so extraordinarily well it’s hard to believe it’s the same dog!

Looking so handsome!

And Felix has all kinds of new friends….
Four of the dogs we homed this winter were rescued from Foča, one of the ‘horror’ shelters of BiH, a place that when first visited seemed comparatively alright. But a second visit proved everyone wrong: the place was a front, set up to prevent inspection while strays were killed elsewhere.

Ariel, Sookie, George and Alexia in Foča ‘shelter’…

Ariel in Finland! She’s called Ariel because her new mom says she looks like a little mermaid…

The very beautiful Sookie, loved to bits in New Jersey…(also in the picture at the top of this blog)
And George…wishing everyone a happy Christmas!

Alexia much loved in Wales:

Another of the dogs homed in Finland by Miska Oksanen, Bijelko, was found in Sarajevo wandering the streets with a broken lower jaw and an infected wound on his stomach, a bite wound from another dog. Asking around Andjeo Sarajevo found out that the poor dog was attacked by a group of people, who broke his jaw with a lead pipe and he was suffering in this condition for seven days, not being able to feed or defend himself.

But he healed well…a very beautiful dog…

Having a walk in the forests of Finland!

Mica was found in Gorazde ‘shelter’ with 15 other dogs in one small cage.
The other dogs did not allow her to eat (the dry bread they had to live on) and she was terrified. Activist Jelena Paunović rescued her and took her into foster care.

Mica is now is very happy and much loved in her new home in England…

And Asti. Asti was found in a severe stage of scabies disease. Almir Kuduz of King Pension in Sarajevo took her on and treated her. However, sadly, the girl who brought her in was unable to do more and could not cover the debt of Asti’s board.

But with Almir’s help she recovered, turning into a beauty with a personality to match.

Almir contacted AWAB to see if we could help and thanks to generous donations and to the quick offer of an extraordinary home in Scotland, her life has changed forever…
Here she is with her new mom…

In the beautiful wilds of Scotland…
And here with her new friends (including Endy, second from left, also one of AWAB rescues, she came over to the UK in June)…
And not to forget our feline lovelies…

Boxer had a very sad tale: he was one of the strays rescued and taken care of by a Jela, an elderly woman in Sarajevo who takes care of many abandoned and stray cats. Boxer was one of the fattest cat in the Jela house, but someone attacked him – probably with a stick or pole, and broke his teeth. He only had two teeth left and became very thin. With donations special food was bought and he began to put on weight, and then Miska found a wonderful home for him in Finland where he lives very happily. His favourite spot is in the sauna!

There are many dogs and cats in Bosnia-Herzegovina still needing forever homes. If you think you can offer a home, please contact us. Some of the dogs are here, and we have a new Facebook group where we are slowly compiling photographs and information about strays we are helping keep off the streets in pension and foster homes, dogs and cats desperately needing forever homes. Please visit the group, and see if there is a special someone for you to fall in love with…AWAB Dogs and Cats For Adoption

_____________________________________________

DONATIONS
Funds are needed not only to help individual rescues and to help us keep safe the 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 . 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.

______________________________________________

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.

One Step Forward for the Strays of Bosnia Herzegovina!

Posted on December 30, 2013 by Sandra Jensen

EXTRAORDINARY NEWS. The Constitutional-Legal Committee of the House of Peoples for Bosnia Herzegovina were in session today, and in this session they refused the kill-law amendments to the animal welfare act! Instead they insisted that the Council of Ministers, the BiH Government, prepare an action plan for the implementation of the existing law.

PLEASE NOTE that this is not the final vote on the law. The House of People’s first reading of the amendments will happen at the end of January. There is hope, however, as the delegates for the House of Peoples rarely legislate a law for which the committee has given a negative opinion.

We are in a good position, but this victory is only one step in this next part of the legislative process, and we need to keep campaigning and we need to loudly express our hope that the delegates will respect the decision of the Constitutional-Legal Committee, and that if the amendments are not legislated, then we must still keep pressure that the existing animal welfare act (which is a very good one, for a full translation please download this PDF) be implemented as per the Constitutional-Legal Committee’s recommendations.

I am awaiting further instructions from the activists in BiH. But for now, all I can say, is a HUGE THANK YOU to everyone involved and of course to the members of the Constitutional-Legal Committee.

Details of the further process of the law is as it follows:

Once the Collegium of the House has received opinions from the Constitutional-Legal Committee on the proposed draft law which establish that the committee has not achieved harmony with the BiH Constitution and the legal system, or has not accepted the principles of the draft law, the Collegium shall put the proposed draft law and the opinions of the committees on the agenda for the next House session. If the House accepts the opinions of the Constitutional-Legal Committee, the proposed draft law shall be considered as rejected. If the House does not accept the opinions of the committee, the House shall request that the committee provide a new opinion which will be based on new guidance provided by the House, within the deadline set by the House.

Please keep writing to your MEPs, Embassies, media etc. Please join the protest in London on January 11th. All information is in the related posts listed below. If there is anything further we can do I will keep you updated. The situation in BiH has been bad for so long, including numerous and continued transgressions of the existing animal welfare law. We just have to keep at it, keep uncovering illegalities and keep campaigning.

As stated in other posts, the activists need our support with donations to help them campaign. Even if the law goes through, there is much they can do: all shelters need to be closely monitored to try to ensure that any ‘euthanisation’ as required by these proposed amendments is humane and that all other aspects of the Animal Welfare Law are implemented. Any amount will help, no matter how small.

There is a YouCaring fundraiser especially for this: https://www.youcaring.com/kill-law. Activists in BiH are doing their best to campaign against these amendments and to educate everyone in their country to the truth of what is happening.

Please sign and share the petitions!

In the meantime, strays are still struggling to survive in the harsh winter conditions. Activists go out in all conditions to feed them. If you can help them by donating for food, please see the instructions below and mark you donation ‘food for strays’. Also you can join the Facebook event HELP THE STRAY DOGS AND CATS OF SARAJEVO SURVIVE THE WINTER EVENT

RELATED POSTS ON THIS BLOG:

_____________________________________________

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.

______________________________________________

PROTEST TO END THE BRUTAL KILLING OF DOGS IN ROMANIA & BOSNIA HERZEGOVINA

Posted on December 29, 2013 by Sandra Jensen

Please join the protest against the atrocities occurring in Bosnia Herzegovina and Romania – we will gather on Saturday January 11th, 2014, 1- 3 p.m. outside the new BBC Broadcasting House, Portland Place, London, W1A. Child and dog friendly, all welcome.

Nearest bus/National Express stop – Victoria Station, nearest tube station, Great Portland Street, Regent’s Park or Oxford Circus. For the Google map, go here, a screen shot is below:

Please bring banners and photographs – you can download and use any photographs from this blog, for example, the following:

Please also join the Facebook Event “JAN 2014 PROTEST TO END THE BRUTAL KILLING OF DOGS IN ROMANIA & BOSNIA” for latest information about this protest in London. However, due to pro-kill agitators the event is ‘invite only’ so send a message to Elaine Renton (https://www.facebook.com/elaine.renton.92) to ask to join.

Regarding the BiH laws: as you know, the House of Representatives has voted in the new amendments to the Animal Welfare Act, but these amendments have to be passed by the House of Peoples. We do not yet know when this will be. Please keep writing to your MEPs, Embassies, media etc. All information is in the related posts listed below. If there is anything further we can do I will keep you updated. The situation in BiH has been bad for so long, including numerous and continued transgressions of the Animal Welfare Act. We just have to keep at it, keep uncovering illegalities and keep campaigning.

Please sign and share the petitions!

RELATED POSTS ON THIS BLOG:

_____________________________________________

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.

______________________________________________

SAVING HERO, HALF BLIND ROTTWEILER LEFT TO DIE!

Posted on December 23, 2013 by Sandra Jensen

On the 21st Andjeo Sarajevo, animal rescue organisation in Sarajevo, Bosnia Herzegovina, got a call for help. It was about a Rottweiler who had been lying on the ground for 10 days with an open leg fracture infected with septicemia, and in addition the dog had an infected, missing eye.

It was very hard for Andjeo Sarajevo find the location where the dog was, because it was dark, it was a secluded place and there was thick fog, but Andjeo Sarajevo succeeded. When they arrived people crowded around and told them they called the vet’s surgery and several animal organisations, who told them they would come but no one ever came.

The dog was very friendly, lovely and full of love, full of enthusiasm for life, a pure bred Rottweiler. Apart from his blindness in one eye, the front leg looked and smelled very bad. It seemed clear the leg would have to be amputated.

He was absolutely starving, he ate 2 big cans of food and half a kilo of crunchy food. Miska Oksanen from Finland, who has been working closely with our group AWAB (Animal Welfare Advocates for Bosnia-Herzegovina) and with Andjeo Sarajevo named this beautiful boy HERO.

On the 22nd he was treated at the veterinary faculty. It was a nerve-wracking time as he was fighting for his life during the surgery. But he made it through, and here is what Andjeo Sarajevo said:

“We just got back home. We have had a very intense day because of our Hero. When we got to the clinic, before the operation, we got some bad news… Besides the leg and his eye, our Hero is also missing a part of his skull… We were shocked! They believe that he was hit by a car, maybe even more than ten days ago, and that he has been suffering for a long time, too long. The vet staff who arrived on sunday for the operation were amazed by his kindness, love, braveness, and most of all STRENGTH. He is unbelievable… Even with his injured leg and eye and a bit of his skull missing, he`s still wagging his tail and kissing the hands of everyone who reaches out to him…

He will need a X-ray of his head, but not before his leg is amputated and also his eye. The eye couldn`t be saved because most of it fell out in the impact. The rest has to be removed to avoid an infection… The most important is that he was wagging his tail even after the operation… He is just amazing and a true HERO… He is fine for now, he`s still at the clinic and the next 48 hours will be critical… But we know he will pull through… We believe in him… Our Hero is a true Hero…“

Please send all your love and healing energy to make sure he continues to get better. Also funds are needed for his surgery and for his after care in pension. At the moment costs are 250 euros for his surgery but we don’t know what the full costs are or what he will need. Pension is 120 per month – he will need lots of high quality food and vitamins, and ultimately, a really wonderful home.

If you think you can offer him a home, please email us at info@awabosnia.org. Details of how to donate are below, please make sure you mark your donation for ‘Hero’.

There are, of course, numerous other dogs and cats in dire straights right now, so any donation for them too is much appreciated. For example, Jela, an elderly lady who takes care of many stray cats, has no heating in her house and winters are terrible in Sarajevo. The cats are getting sick with flu and we hope to raise money to help with heating bills and vet treatment for the cats. If you can help. please mark your donation for ‘Jela’.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

_____________________________________________

DONATIONS
Funds are needed not only to help individual rescues, abused or wounded strays and to help us keep safe the rescued dogs we are sponsoring but also to continue our advocacy work in Bosnia, uncovering the truth about what is happening there.

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.

______________________________________________

Media Disinformation and Horror in Bosnia Herzegovina!

Posted on December 21, 2013 by Sandra Jensen

On whose side are the BiH media? / Na čijoj su strani bosanskohercegovački medij? on Mega Vijesti /Dec 17, 2013 BiH

Translation:

From the talks with a group of citizens who have expressed strong dissatisfaction about the media reports covering the protest held in Sarajevo.

On 15.12.2013. in front of the Parliament in Sarajevo about 2,000 citizens gathered to express their dissatisfaction with the amendments to the Law on the protection and welfare of animals which requires that all street dogs be put to sleep after 15 days in adequate shelters that do not exist.

Citizens who opposed the amendments have been slandered and accused they are protesting for their own benefit.

Citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina are shocked and disappointed that the media falsely reported and wrote the protests only had 200 citizens, although there are many photographs and video footage showing how it really was.

Who is behind the media ‘objectivity’ and why are the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina hiding the truth about euthanasia or the fact that killing dogs is more expensive than the solution to the problem?

Why are the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina hiding from REGISTRATION OF OWNED DOGS?

Citizens who oppose the amendments to the Act, are forced to turn to world media for the truth to come out.

Please share this post and if you have friends in journalism please contact them.

The truth is that abuse against strays in Bosnia-Herzegovina is one of the highest in the world. Just a few days ago a 2 month old puppy was found with his legs cut off and his eyes gouged out. We are all shocked by this and I’m sorry about the distressing photographs but we have to let the world know what is happening here.

R.I.P. innocent soul.

We need to do what we can to save the strays of this country. If you think you might be able to offer a home to a rescue, please contact us at info@awabosnia.org.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

RELATED POSTS ON THIS BLOG:

_____________________________________________

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.

______________________________________________

Dog Massacre in Dobosnica, Bosnia Herzegovina

Posted on December 19, 2013 by Sandra Jensen

News report Wednesday December 18, 2013 (Serbo-Croatian only)

Summary: There has been a massacre of dogs near Lukavac municipality in the village Dobosnica, Bosnia & Herzegovina, during night between the 16th and the 17th December. The dogs had owners and were shot in their front yards on private property, more than 10 dogs were killed or wounded and the perpetrators shot at the house of Mr. Nurija Murselović and have damaged his car and garage door.

Only local media reported the crime while the most read newspapers and most visited internet portals or most watched TV stations in Bosnia & Herzegovina have reported nothing, in contrast they report every car accident that happened in the country during the past 24 hours, even about those accidents where nobody was injured but this massacre remains ignored so far.

Some activists wonder if the atrocity might have been someone’s reaction to the protests against the amendments to the animal welfare laws on the 15th of December.

_____________________________________________

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.

______________________________________________

ANTI KILL-LAW FIGHT – “IT’S NOT OVER” PROTEST MARCH

Posted on December 15, 2013 by Sandra Jensen

The Association of Animal Welfare Organizations and many activists (and their dogs!) from all over Bosnia Herzegovina organised protests today, Sunday, 15th December, in front of the building of Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia & Herzegovina. Some activists from Serbia and Croatia also joined the protest.

Official public media reports state that 200 people attended the protests, other media report that there were 300 people. (PLEASE NOTE: see this post regarding these reports. There were in fact thousands, not hundreds of protesters.)

We also heard that during the protest a car that was passing by stopped and people threw out a German Shepherd.. it was taken to dog pension by activists…

Local news reports (in Serbo-Croatian):

Hundreds of citizens protest in Sarajevo against the euthanasia of dogs
Several hundred citizens of the protests said: Stop euthanasia of dogs!
Sarajevo: “The solution to the problem – yes, kill dogs – NO”

I know it seems like not much has been ‘happening’ regarding the amendments — but the activists in BiH have been working very hard to do everything they can, with media reports, TV interviews/forums etc and the protest march today.

For example a few days ago there was a TV forum on PINK TV all about the amendments and why the existing law was not implemented – all guests were activists or veterinarians. State veterinary inspector Inga Dujmovic was there, Snezana Vidovic an actress from Zenica, the leader of SAPA Animal welfare organisation, Aida Cizmic from Prijatelji Mostar association was a guest as well, and activist Jelena Paunović attended.

Representatives of the pro-kill law group UGRIZ (Stop bite – Stop ugrizu – http://ugriz.com/ and on FB https://www.facebook.com/groups/stopugrizu/) and the MP Nermina Zaimovic Uzunovic (original proposer of the amendments ) did not want to come to the debate because they claimed that the TV station has had biased approach in favor of activists from the very start that the show was ordered and paid for by activists.

Also, Dalida Kozlic, lawyer and activist, was a guest in a TV show, “Answer to people” – a live TV show on Federation of BiH TV. Other guests were MP Nermina Zaimovic Uzunovic, Adnan Omerdic (from Stop bite – Stop ugrizu), Nihad Fejzic (dean of Veterinary faculty in Sarajevo), Semir Efendic (a mayor of Novi Grad where illegal hygienic service kills stray dogs) and Slavo Jovicic (SNSD) who is against the amendments. We hope to have a copy of this with translated subtitles soon.

What we can do, once again, is to continue to help with financial support. The activists need our support with donations to help them continue to campaign. Even if the law goes through, there is much they can do: all shelters need to be closely monitored to try to ensure that any ‘euthanisation’ as required by these proposed amendments is humane and that all other aspects of the Animal Welfare Law are implemented. Any amount will help, no matter how small.

You can donate as per the instructions below via Paypal to donations@awabosnia.org (mark for ‘advocacy’) or there is a YouCaring fundraiser especially for this: https://www.youcaring.com/kill-law. Activists in BiH are doing their best to campaign against these amendments and to educate everyone in their country to the truth of what is happening.

WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO LIFE

Please sign and share the petitions!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

RELATED POSTS ON THIS BLOG:

_____________________________________________

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.

______________________________________________

ANTI KILL-LAW FIGHT – NOW WHAT?

Posted on December 6, 2013 by Sandra Jensen

At the session in BiH Parliament yesterday the House of Representatives voted in the new amendments to the Animal Welfare Act. 20 voted yes, 14 no, 7 sustained.

BiH legislation process is one of the most complex in the world. I don’t understand it fully but, this is the gist:

The changes to the Animal Welfare Act were voted through yesterday by the BiH House of Representatives, BUT the changes now have to be supported by members of the House of Peoples, and will go through a similar process that they went through with the House of Representatives before they can be officially legislated – there is a first and second reading, and an ‘amendments’ phase. The House of People have fewer delegates than the House of Representatives, and the legislation process has more issues, but there are the same phases.

So: there are two more voting procedures and only if the amendments pass both times will they will become officially legislated.

I have teen told that it’s usual that the House of Peoples supports whatever MPs already agreed about and voted for in the House of Representatives, but we must not give up hope.

If the law is legislated, then there are further processes and issues: “Harmonization” is last part of the process. If the amendments are legislated in both Houses, then they need to be ‘harmonised’. Again I’m not sure of the specifics of this, but one activist has told me that if the law is legislated it will end up in the constitutional court since the currently proposed amendments have many contradictions – the whole law will have to be reworked and harmonized with itself because it “really looks abominable in the amended form.”

To sum up: the picture is unclear and there is still possibility for the amendments to be voted against or changed.

It is unlikely but……

Please keep writing to your MEPs, Embassies, media etc. All information is in the related posts listed below. If there is anything further we can do I will keep you updated. The situation in BiH has been bad for so long, including numerous and continued transgressions of the Animal Welfare Act. We just have to keep at it, keep uncovering illegalities and keep campaigning.

___________

As stated in other posts, the activists need our support with donations to help them in the next days to campaign. Even if the law goes through, there is much they can do: all shelters need to be closely monitored to try to ensure that any ‘euthanisation’ as required by these proposed amendments is humane and that all other aspects of the Animal Welfare Law are implemented. Any amount will help, no matter how small.

Activists in BiH are doing their best to campaign against these amendments and to educate everyone in their country to the truth of what is happening.

Please sign and share the petitions!

RELATED POSTS ON THIS BLOG:

_____________________________________________

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.

______________________________________________

Hell Hole for Dogs in Bihać – PART TWO

Posted on December 4, 2013 by Sandra Jensen

Please read my August 12th post about Gorjevac ‘shelter’ in Bihać, Bosnia-Herzegovina.

To reiterate: This shelter was built in June 2012, and conditions were reported as inhumane as soon as December, 2012. It is said that this Gorjevac “death camp” is built on top of a mass grave where “euthanized” animals were buried.

There is no adequate food or medical care for the existing dogs. In winter, conditions are worse than dire. These recent photographs speak for themselves. Nothing but white bread for food. Corpses of dogs and puppies left amongst living dogs. Dogs devouring dogs they are so hungry.

As with so many of the so-called shelters in Bosnia-Herzegovina, this situation is complex and it seems once again the shelter is used to funnel money into human pockets and not spend it on those it is designated for: the dogs.

It is our understanding that the director of the city’s veterinary station Dr. Zekerijah Ika Alagić is to blame what is happening in Gorjevac ‘shelter’, Bihać: as elsewhere, money intended for dogs is not used for them. Instead workers feed the dogs with dry bread. Dr. Zekerijah Ika Alagić has been director of the veterinary station for 22 years, and is called by local activists the “Eternal Director”.

It seems Dr. Ika Alagić is protected by the Municipal Mayor of the city, Emdzad Galijasevic. In an article published in local newspapers Dr. Ika Alagić denies everything and says that the images you see on this page and in the slideshow below are fake.

The Bihać animal welfare Association “SALVATION” (SPAS) with volunteers and President Rosic Senad has for many years been leading a battle to change the situation for the dogs, but the political parties are very powerful.

If you are wondering why we are campaigning so hard to ensure amendments to the BiH Animal Welfare Act are voted against tomorrow in BiH Parliament, it is because the amendments will allow for continued misuse of funds intended for the benefit of the strays, but more importantly, all efforts should instead be made to ensure that the existing Animal Welfare Act is implemented.

The laws for animal welfare in BIH are in fact very good, requiring proper care for strays in shelters, prosecution of those who abuse animals and so on, but these laws are simply ignored. Instead the BiH Parliament spends time and energy on discussing, preparing and voting for amendments that will chip away at the welfare laws and meanwhile they ignore the ongoing illegal activities against animals throughout the country.

Please sign the petitions, but more importantly continue to write to your MEP if you live in Europe and to your Embassy in BiH. Details on Action to Take.

To help the dogs of Bihać Shelter, donations can currently be made by bank transfer to SPAS, the Bihać animal welfare group:
Uni Credit Bank Bihać
BI10 20011855001
Local Reporting Code 502012
IBA 393385004861224662

Or via Paypal to AWAB, send it to donations@awabosnia.org as outlined below but please mark it ‘for BIHAC’

And please keep contacting IFAW, Four Paws, WVS and The Harmony Fund in case they can provide assistance.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Animal welfare organization in Bihać: SPAS
Facebook Group
Facebook Page (English)
President of SPAS, Rosic Senad
Petition
Stop the inhumane treatment of the animals at the dog shelter in Bihać

HRESA “SHELTER”:
Part One
Part Two
Part Three

_____________________________________________

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.

______________________________________________

IN MEMORY OF VUČKO

raising awareness and funds to stop animal suffering in Sarajevo and Bosnia-Herzegovina

Monthly Archives: December 2013

Saved from Bosnia-Herzegovina in 2013!

One Step Forward for the Strays of Bosnia Herzegovina!

PROTEST TO END THE BRUTAL KILLING OF DOGS IN ROMANIA & BOSNIA HERZEGOVINA

SAVING HERO, HALF BLIND ROTTWEILER LEFT TO DIE!

Media Disinformation and Horror in Bosnia Herzegovina!

Dog Massacre in Dobosnica, Bosnia Herzegovina

ANTI KILL-LAW FIGHT – “IT’S NOT OVER” PROTEST MARCH

Hundreds of citizens protest in Sarajevo against the euthanasia of dogs
Several hundred citizens of the protests said: Stop euthanasia of dogs!
Sarajevo: “The solution to the problem – yes, kill dogs – NO”

ANTI KILL-LAW FIGHT – NOW WHAT?

Hell Hole for Dogs in Bihać – PART TWO