Published yesterday in the BiH print newspaper and today in the online portal Dnevni Avaz, English translation below:

Activists for the rights of animals have filed criminal reports against 18 employees of “Lokom” who acting as ‘dog catchers’, illegally killing stray dogs in the former military base of “Safet Zajko”

Employees of the public company “Lokom” Ltd. in Novi Grad Sarajevo catch and kills stray dogs in the former military object “Safet Zajko” every day, claims animal rights activist Dalida Kozlić.

According to her statement, due to the criminal offence of torture and unlawful killing of animals, she has filed criminal reports against four companies and 18 individuals including the mayor of the municipality of Novi Grad, Semir Efendić (SDA political party).

“The public must know that this hygiene service that is illegally formed within P. C. “Lokom”. It is not licensed and registered by the court for an activity of removal of stray dogs. Despite this fact, these illegally acting dog catchers of “Lokom” have been catching and killing stray dogs for almost two years. We know that a legal shelter for stray animals is not formed by the municipality of Novi Grad, but the municipality has formed an illegal pound in the former military object “Safet Zajko”. Dogs are killed in the veterinary station “Novi Grad” Ltd., which is located in Reljevo and in the former military base “Safet Zajko,”” says Kozlić.

She adds she has tried to find out where in the municipality of Novi Grad “Lokom” disposes the corpses of the dogs. She was informed it was a “business secret”.

The public company “Rad”, which has a license to remove, transport and disposal of dog corpses, have confirmed their workers take the corpses from the former military base “Safet Zajko”.

“Bodies are driven to the landfill in Buca Potok and we throw them in special pits and cover them with lime and other special sanitation substances that do not endanger the environment,” confirmed the public company “Rad”.

Without Comment

We have tried to get information from “Lokom”, whose director is Ramiz Durakovic (SDA), about what their teams are doing with captured animals and where they are transported. However, instead of answering, the management has referred us to the Veterinary Station of Novi Grad, who allegedly is in charge of these questions.

Veterinary inspection and its reaction

Reports about the killing of stray dogs in the military base “Safet Zajko” were received by inspectors of Cantonal Administration for Inspection Affairs.

“We have had several complaints regarding legality of the hygienic service that works at this company. However, during our control we did not notice any irregularities,” the institution stated.

End of Article
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Activists and animal lovers in Sarajevo are desperate. One activist has made a YouTube imploring animal lovers everywhere to please call their embassy in Bosnia and put public pressure on the government to stop what is happening to the strays:

More details on how to contact your embassy are on this post: AUTHORISED SLAUGHTER OF DOGS IN SARAJEVO

You can also email Semir Efendic, Mayor of Novi Grad Sarajevo Municipality: ngsa@bih.net.ba.

Please read related articles/blogs on this site for more information:

“DOG-CATCHERS” OF SARAJEVO CAUGHT IN ACTION!
AUTHORISED SLAUGHTER OF DOGS IN SARAJEVO
2014: What is happening to the strays of Bosnia Herzegovina?
Animal Advocates Assaulted in Sarajevo
Bosnia: Let’s Respect Animals and their Right to Life
Veterinary Office of Bosnia: is it possible to solve the problem of stray dogs?
The “Aggressive” Dogs of Sarajevo
The Campaign Begins With a Slaughter: You will kill the dogs, but what will you do with the beasts?
Stray Dogs of Sarajevo to be Killed in Election Ploy
Stop the Killing of Strays in Sarajevo
Bosnia: Sarajevo set to become the next Bucharest
BOSNIA: kill and slaughter until the dog is no more…
Bosnia Killing Dogs – No Different to Romania!
ANTI KILL-LAW FIGHT – NOW WHAT?

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Funds are needed to help individual rescues, for spay-neuter projects, for education also to continue advocacy work in Bosnia, uncovering the truth about what is happening there.

Donations are managed by AWABosnia, an independent group of animal advocates. On their website, 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.

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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. Even just one dollar or one euro will help make a difference.