Another Dog Tortured by Wire in Bosnia

Posted on February 28, 2014 by Sandra Jensen

Yet another case of appalling animal cruelty in Bosnia Herzegovina.

Yesterday this dog was spotted from a car by accident. Animal welfare charity Andjeo Sarajevo saw a wire around his neck.

This poor dog passed by thousands of people on a busy street in Hrasnica, Sarajevo, and of course no one paid any attention to him, he’s a big enough dog but they acted like he didn’t even exist. Andjeo Sarajevo stopped and saw the same thing they had seen a little while ago with Faith. A tight wire deeply sunk into his neck.

“He didn’t resist much, either he didn’t have the strength to or else he knew we could help him. We contacted the vet on call and took him there straight away, the scene was even worse under the harsh light of the clinic.”

The photos show a lot more. The wire was very deep inside the flesh. It was successfully removed and the wound cleaned, and the dog is still at the clinic.

We have named him Fidel.

Soon we’ll know more. According to the vet, Fidel needs to have an X-ray in order to see if his oesophagus has been damaged. If it is damaged, it’s probably best to end his suffering. He’s a medium sized dog, his head is similar to a Kangal dog.

This morning the vet said that Fidel is eating well, and he doesn’t have problems when he eats. So far all 4 vets in the clinic say that it’s important to give him a chance, and that he is very cuddly and friendly with people, after all this… The vet also stated that if Fidel hadn’t been found, the wire would have permanently embedded into the dog’s neck doing terrible harm.

Fidel almost definitely has a chance to live, but it’s going to take a lot of time and hard work.

Fidel is also visibly malnourished. If he survives, he’s going to need our help to bring him back to health, to keep him off the streets and to then find him a forever home. (Faith is doing well and will be on her way to the UK in April! We are still fundraising for this huge project, bringing 19 dogs out of BiH.)

If you can help Fidel, please follow the donation instructions below, and mark your donation for ‘FIDEL’.

UPDATE: Fidel is now entirely well, but he is still in pension in Sarajevo. He desperately needs a home!

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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.

More than 40 killed dogs found in garbage dump

Posted on February 27, 2014 by Sandra Jensen

Reported today on Visokoin.com. Velika Kladusa is in the far northwest of Bosnia and Herzegovina, located near the border with Croatia. Translation of article:

More than 40 dogs killed during the last week, found at the Radic Vrnograč bridge dump in the vicinity of Velika Kladusa. On their bodies were visible wounds from rifle bullets.

This data, supported by photographs, was revealed by animal rights activist Sejad Kajtazović, who on Tuesday reported the case of unlawful killing of stray dogs to the competent authorities.

“I found this out on Sunday (23 February) when I went to the dump and photographed what I saw. I have not counted exactly how many dogs as they are thrown into a hole at a depth of five to six meters, but there are certainly more than forty,” Sejad Kajtazović told us. He had photos of dogs killed in the Todorova area, but there are indications that strays killed in other villages and hamlets around Velika Kladusa. It is suspected that stray dogs are killed by hunters and brought to the landfill workers of Kladuškog Public Utilities companies. The police officers have not given official confirmation of this information.

The Commander of the Police Station in Velika Kladusa, Jasmine Aldžić, confirmed that the application was received, and that the attending cantonal prosecutor has determined that for now there is no element of the crime committed. According to the commander, Aldžića, the case is still open and is being investigated in order to determine the exact facts.

According to the Law on the protection and welfare of animals in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the killing and euthanasia of animals (which is allowed only under precisely defined conditions) can only be undertaken by those trained for these jobs – a doctor of veterinary medicine, and hunters in the event that the killing of animals is necessary to maintain a natural balance.

As the photos show that the killing of dogs was performed outside the hunting grounds, it is clear that in this case there has been a violation of Article 15, which defines the terms and conditions under which the killing of animals is allowed. Offenders of this Article Act can be penalised with fines of 200 KM to 200,000 KM ($15 USD – $150,000 USD).

This is the second case of mass killing of stray dogs in the Una-Sana Canton this year. We recall that in late January in the Bosanska Krupa garbage dumps about fifty dead dogs were discovered, and the perpetrators have not been found.

Currently under the BiH Animal Welfare Law there are only 5 ways when a vet can euthanize dogs:

1. if they are in agony
2. if the animal is a danger to people and other animals
3. if the animal is too old and can’t live any more
4. if vet can’t help or heal a sick animal
5. if the animal is sick and can be dangerous for people

This killing is clearly a violation of the law, just like all the other similar killings all over the country. Also note that one of the dogs in the photographs above has an ear tag, which means it was probably sterilised in July 2013, in a programe organized and funded by the German organization ETN – Europäischen Tier- und Naturschutz e.V. http://www.etnev.de/. Here is an article about their activities helping strays in BiH.

Velika Kladusa does not have an animal shelter. Activists from Kladusa, with great support from people abroad (ETN), have bought houses for stray dogs:
Facebook group of the Kladusa activists.

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DONATIONS

Funds are needed not only to help individual rescues but also to continue our advocacy work in Bosnia Herzegovina, 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.

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Making a REAL difference for Dogs in Bosnia Herzegovina

Posted on February 25, 2014 by Sandra Jensen

Some time ago Sarah Greenwood contacted me, along with others in Bosnia Herzegovina about the situation for stray dogs. She has already been involved in helping people in Bih through the charity pheonix aid, and has experience in animal welfare in the country. She is looking into setting up projects in Bosnia Herzegovina that can actually make a long-term difference to the lives of stray dogs through education and in particular, setting up programs that use dogs in therapeutic situations (guide dogs for the blind; dogs used to help PTSD sufferers, therapy dogs for children with autism etc), thus helping both dogs and people.

Sarah is about to embark on the first step of her initiative, a trip to Bosnia Herzegovina to begin a media campaign, meet potential groups she can work with, and to put a lobbying campaign into action, but she needs our help. She’s raised most of the funds required for the trip, but needs just a little more. If you can help, please go directly to the YouCaring fundraiser, BosDogs4People.

Sarah will be meeting with a number of activists our group AWAB (Animal Welfare Activists for Bosnia Herzegovina) are involved with, including lawyer Dalida Kozlic.

From Sarah’s YouCaring fundraiser:

Cruelty to dogs is rife in Bosnia Herzegovina, partly connected with it being a post conflict society, and because of cultural attitudes towards strays.

I’m Sarah Greenwood, and I’ve worked in Bosnia Herzegovina for 12 years running a small UK charity, phoenix-aid, that I founded to provide healthcare and therapy training to war victims and disabled groups.

I’ve also worked on a campaign to get the government of Republika Srpska to re-adopt the former State National Lippizaner Stud, which was in private hands, and in which the horses were kept in horrible conditions with serious welfare implications. Part of the lobbying I did was contacting many international Embassies, groups and local politicians, including getting the British Consul to present a letter I wrote to Mr Dodik, the Prime Minister of Republika Srpska. I’m pleased to say all the pressure from the various groups worked and the Stud was re-adopted by the government.

I’m currently working on a plan to start a campaign to try to educate the general public in Bosnia Herzegovina about dogs to try to minimise the amount of cruelty to them, by showing the beneficial, and therapeutic use of dogs both in a domestic setting, and as ‘help’, for example guide dogs for the blind, hearing dogs for the deaf, therapy dogs for autistic children, and PTDS sufferers.

This will address the therapeutic needs of humans, as well as give homes to stray dogs. The main theme though, is to change the perception of dogs being dirty and unclean and to be kept away from humans, to making them part of mainstream society and a beneficial animal to have about.

The initial plans are to start a press campaign to publicise how dogs can help humans, this will be followed up by identifying potential candidates to learn the basics of how to train dogs. Local Partner Organisations will also be identified.

I’m asking for donations to get this project off the ground as I need to work on it separately from my other work in Bosnia Herzegovina due to its complexity. Donations will pay for my flight to Bosnia, and accommodation, so I can spend a week meeting people who I’ve made contact with to enact our plans for a media campaign, meet potential groups we can work with, and put a lobbying campaign into action. Once this initial phase is put into operation, I can then fit the project work into my ongoing visits to the country with phoenix-aid. Your money will make a big difference because I can’t do it unless I can concentrate on it singlemindedly. phoenix-aid receives no grant funding and all the money we have is allocated for this year.

This is a one off request and any amount will help.

Thank you for caring!

Sarah

While lobbying to ensure the Animal Welfare Act of Bosnia Herzegovina is actually implemented and not changed, and also rescuing individual animals is a critical part of helping the lives of strays in Bih, I believe that real long-term change can only happen by changing the negative attitude towards dogs that pervades the country, and that this will only be done through education and actually showing the people that dogs can be a critical and life-changing (life-saving, in fact) support for people.

Please support Sarah: BOSDOGS4PEOPLE – YOUCARING FUNDRAISER

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DONATIONS

Funds are needed not only to help individual rescues but also to continue our advocacy work in Bosnia Herzegovina, 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.

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Poisoning of Dogs and Cats in Glamoc, Bosnia Herzegovina

Posted on February 20, 2014 by Sandra Jensen

A volunteer for the Association “0” – for protection, rescue and care of animals from Glamoc in western Bosnia Herzegovina (“Udruga za zaštitu, spašavanje i zbrinjavanje HBŽ “O” ), contacted us this week because media in her country are doing nothing to publicise the ongoing poisoning of dogs and cats in the area. Today, however there have been posts online at Taco.net: 40 poisoned dogs in the streets Glamoc and RadioSarajevo.ba.

In the last two weeks the association has found 40 dead stray dogs and more than 10 cats. All these animals were killed because of a poison being deliberately thrown on the streets of Glamoc – a very painful death. Some veterinarians believe that poison for rats has been used, or calcium cyanide. Two more dead dogs were found today, bringing the total to 42 dead dogs.

“The autopsy showed petechial and gastric mucosa haemorrhages from the contents of the stomach, such as ground beef; bleeding profusely from the clotted blood in the heart and lungs, bleeding from the mouth and bleeding from the eyes.”

This situation was reported to the police and to the veterinary inspector and the association is waiting for the perpetrator to be found. In effect there are two crimes committed: torture and killing animals as well as causing general danger to people. However it seems that the police investigation is going very slowly. In addition, analysing what kind of poison is being used might be impossible due to lack of sufficient and capable laboratories in the country, and the Association “0” still does not know if the sample has in fact, been sent for analysis. “It is very likely that we will not be able to find out what exactly the poison is, because the Department of Toxicology, School of Veterinary Medicine in Sarajevo for 6 months now cannot make any toxicological tests due to device failure, while the Veterinary Faculty in Banja Luka does not do toxicological research.”

Local citizens were shocked at these poisonings – there are virtually no recorded instances of dog bites in the area – most of the dogs were sterilised and without aggression towards people. Children watched the dogs to die in agony. The danger to these children and others is huge, given that a lethal poison has been spread on public streets. Dog owners and livestock owners are additionally concerned because they do not know the exact location where the poison has been thrown.

Volunteers from the Association “0” say: “We have to look at the proposed amendments to the Animal Welfare Act that are still in parliamentary procedure because these amendments encourage this kind of murder of dogs.”

The volunteer told me: “We are trying to inform all medias in our country about this horror, but most of them are not interested and they just ignore us. We must do everything in our power how this crime will never be forgotten. if you can do anything and if you’re interested for helping us on this, please do it, because we are desperate…”

Please share this blog so the world knows what is happening in Bosnia Herzegovina.

Also if you wish to make a donation to assist the association in Glamoc in their animal welfare work, please do so via the links below, clearly marking your donation for ‘Association “O”‘.

Regarding the proposed amendments to the BiH Animal Welfare Laws: the session of the House of Peoples has still not been scheduled. This is the session which would be the next stage of voting on the amendments. There will be a Joint Collegium of both houses meeting on 25th February (Speakers and deputy speakers) and after this we shall know more. There is concern that momentum against the amendments is being lost. If there is anything we can do, I will let you know. In the meantime, if you want to help 19 rescues get out of Bosnia Herzegovina to homes in the UK and Europe, please don’t forget our Be Their Hero campaign.

AND THIS FRIDAY, 21 February 2014, please join the protest in London:
BOSNIAN EMBASSY 5-7 LEXHAM GARDENS LONDON W8 5JJ .
NEAREST TUBE – GLOUCESTER ROAD
13:00 – 15:00

Details: https://www.facebook.com/events/589755974440140/

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DONATIONS

Funds are needed not only to help individual rescues but also to continue our advocacy work in Bosnia Herzegovina, 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.

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BE THEIR HERO: a better life for nineteen dogs & cats

Posted on February 6, 2014 by Sandra Jensen

In early April nineteen dogs and cats have a chance to leave the horrors of Bosnia Herzegovina, to live in safety where they will know love, care, warmth and a full belly. But they cannot go without your help. Can you be a hero to one of these lovelies, and help fund their way?

We have booked two transports. One transport will travel from Sarajevo to the United Kingdom. 8 dogs and 3 cats, all rescues, have fosters or forever homes waiting for them in the UK, and one in Spain, our lovely Fiona…

The other transport will take two dogs, Lana and Fluffy, and two cats, Sidney and Glee, all the way to Finland with Miska Oksanen. You will remember Glee’s story…the cat who survived deliberate blinding…

The transport cost per dog or cat is approximately 400 euros. The preparation costs (all vaccinations, sterilisation, paperwork) are approximately 100-130 euros per dog or cat. If we manage to transport nineteen animals, the cost is over ten thousand euros.

Due to the generous support of Blind Dog Rescue UK, The Harmony Fund, the adopters of several of the animals and other individual donations, all we need is 3,500 Euros to cover transportation and preparation costs.

But we need it very soon. If you can help, have a special YouCaring fundraiser for this huge project, or you can donate directly via PayPal to donations@awabosnia.org (mark BE A HERO).

Many of these dogs and cats have come through horrific suffering. Dennis nearly died of a botched castration in one of Bosnia Herzegovina’s infamous ‘shelters’ at Doboj.
Faith was tortured with wire around her neck and leg, left to die from starvation or the infection from her terrible wounds. Faith’s life was saved, but she had to have her leg amputated.

And Hero, our special mascot for this fundraiser, also lost a leg. He was found on the streets, half-blind, with a suppurating, infected fracture that meant he had to have an amputation.

All of these animals have a story to tell, and we want the ending of the story to be ‘…and they lived happily ever after.’

Please help, any amount, no matter how small is much appreciated, and join our Facebook Event to keep up to date with our progress on this fundraiser!

There will be room on the transport for four more dogs or cats and we are going to do our best to find four perfect homes for some of the many rescues in desperate need. If you think you can help, please contact us at info@awabosnia.org and visit our adoption page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AdoptionAnimalsBosnia.

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DONATIONS

Funds are needed not only to help individual rescues but also to continue our advocacy work in Bosnia Herzegovina, 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.

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Looking into the Eyes of these Animals…

Posted on February 2, 2014 by Sandra Jensen

Tina Trier Engelbreth: “Looking into the eyes of these animals, you can read a story about people who are inclined to evil”
Interview on Taco.net by Jelena Paunović
Translation in English:

When did you decide to help Bosnian animals?

I joined Facebook some years ago and quickly got involved in the animal community there. The plight of the cats and dogs in Eastern Europe was obvious – and I teamed up with Marianne’s Dog Food Bank in June 2012 as an administrator and put all my heart in this work very fast. We only support stray dogs/cats in Bosnia Herzegovina as it is almost impossible to have focus on other things as it is a big task to help as much as possible.

When I joined we were helping a large shelter in Tuzla with about 600 dogs – providing them with food, houses, veterinary help etc. Later we parted amicably with the shelter and they are still actively working to help animals in Bosnia Herzegovina. We are now working autonomously and we built/opened our first mini-shelter in Tuzla in May 2013.

What was the key reason you started doing it?

I have always loved animals – and I’m an activist at heart. I can’t know something and not act upon it, if I have a chance. And Facebook is a great media for activists to help their various causes.

Have you ever before visit Bosnia Herzegovina?

Yes, I went in December 2012 for 10 days working/helping in a shelter in Tuzla. I fell in love with a little dog called Enzo, and in January 2013 he arrived to Denmark and is now living with me. He is the man in my life.

People often ask themselves why does foreigners help animals in Bosnia Herzegovina.

I can only say for myself that I help because too little is done by the authorities in Bosnia Herzegovina to solve the stray problem in an ethical way. Killing the strays is not the way to do it. Spay/neuter is the ONLY viable option.

How did Denmark solved the problem of strays?

We don’t have stray dogs at all in Denmark. If a dog is found roaming in the street, it’s handed over to the police who will try to find the owners. Dogs must be microchipped – it’s the law – and so you can always find the owner. If a dog is not microchipped, it will go to a shelter and be adopted to another family.

Many dog breeds are forbidden in Denmark. What do you think when the list of forbidden dog breeds will be cancelled?

There is an active resistance against this BSL list and hopefully it will soon be abolished.

Recently you decided to build dog shelter in Sarajevo. Can you tell us something more about the project?

The new shelter is also a mini-shelter with room for about 15 dogs. The dogs will be vaccinated, microchipped and get a passport and be adopted – usually out of Bosnia Herzegovina. We will also provide veterinary help for these dogs.

Is it expensive to finance shelter for stray animals?

Yes, it is rather expensive and we work tirelessly to raise funds for what we do. It’s a full time job for most of the administrators in our group.

You have been working with Bosnia Herzegovina activists for long time. Which story touched you most?

The stories about puppies left alone on the streets or in the woods are heart-breaking. But all dogs and cats should have a family to care for them and every dog that is abandoned and neglected and unloved is something that touches me very much. Looking into the eyes of such an animal tells a story of humans succumbing to evil.

There are many stories about tortured, sick and “aggressive” animals in Bosnia Herzegovina. You have re homed many of stray animals. How have stray animals adopted to live in normal circumstances?

We take in the strays and socialize them in our mini-shelter over a period. Most dogs turn out to live good lives as family pets, but it does demand patience from the new owners, because our dogs almost always come with a baggage of abuse and hunger. But with time and love they tend to love and trust again as is in their nature. Some dogs cannot be socialized as quickly as we would want. But once we have an animal in our care, they can stay for as long as they need to. We don’t throw them out if they’re not adoptable. They just become permanent residents.

Are all adoptions successful?

Some have to be rehomed if the first owners can’t manage them or don’t have the patience. But it’s usually the owners that fail – not the dogs. It takes time and patience – and if the owners have that, it usually work well. Until now we have rehomed more than 100 dogs/cats from Bosnia Herzegovina to countries like Denmark, Holland, Sweden, Germany.

How would you describe stray animals from Bosnia Herzegovina? Sociable, friendly?

Considering the horrible abuse they have gone through, I’m amazed how friendly most dogs still are towards people. Some of them still have issues with trust, but most of them overcome it with time. The younger the dog is when we get him/her, the easier it is to resocialize them, of course.

What would happen with stray animals in Bosnia Herzegovina, if activists and foreign organizations didn’t help stray animals?

Authorities don’t help local organisations and activists. I don’t like thinking of that. It’s a shame on the Bosnia Herzegovina authorities, the way they treat the strays. There are many wonderful people – Bosnia Herzegovina rescuers – who work night and day to help the animals – and foreign organizations couldn’t do what we do without them. But the authorities deserve no praise – only shame! They ought to cooperate with the foreign organizations and not go against them, as they tend to. Instead of spending money on corrupt dog catchers and incompetent vets, as we have seen all too often, they should open the borders to the animal activist organizations and offer them their best cooperation.

If you want to help Tina and Marianne’s Dog Food Bank, please visit their website and Facebook group.

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DONATIONS

Funds are needed not only to help individual rescues but also to continue our advocacy work in Bosnia Herzegovina, 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.

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IN MEMORY OF VUČKO

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

Monthly Archives: February 2014

Another Dog Tortured by Wire in Bosnia

More than 40 killed dogs found in garbage dump

Making a REAL difference for Dogs in Bosnia Herzegovina

Poisoning of Dogs and Cats in Glamoc, Bosnia Herzegovina

BE THEIR HERO: a better life for nineteen dogs & cats

Looking into the Eyes of these Animals…