In early October of 2014 Dalida Kozlic filed an official request to the veterinary inspection of Canton Sarajevo, asking for an inspection to be made of the dog catching service of P.E. Lokum (a public service company for coordination, maintenance, and protection of facilities owned by Novi Grad Sarajevo municipality).
The leading veterinary inspector in this case was Emin Omerspahic, a man who had signed the most of the orders for stray dogs to be caught by Lokum. During an official conversation on the 17th of October, Dalida informed Emin Omerspahic that there was evidence to prove illegal activities undertaken by P.E. Lokum’s service, activities contravening the animal welfare Act. Omerspahic sent Dalida an official answer ten days later, after the legal deadline for such an answer had passed. It was obvious to Dalida from his answer that he had not, in fact, undertaken an inspected of P.E. Lokum.
Because Omerspahic hadn’t investigated the case as was required by inspection affairs laws, in November Dalida filed a discipline report against him, with the director of the Cantonal administration for inspection affairs. She also filed a criminal report against him as he had committed a number of criminal offences including abuse of his official position.
Once Dalida had filled these reports, she received a minor offence warrant. Omerspahic stated he was charging Dalida because she had filed reports against P.E. Lokum. In other words, he was charging her because she had fulfilled her civil duty to reporting illegal activities. Dalida requested a court hearing to establish the facts.
The court hearing was finally held on the 28th August 2015, during which Dalida presented evidence that Omerspahic supported Lokum. Omerspahic accused Dalida of being the reason dogs couldn’t be killed. Even the judge was shocked at this. She issued a decision in Dalida’s favour, explaining that Omerspahic had been chasing her because she was fighting to stop the illegal dog-catching and killing activities of P.E. Lokum, as well as the fact he had abused his position to file a minor offence warrant for a non existing minor offence, just to take revenge on the reports Dalida had made against him.
This court decision is the leading document which Dalida will use in filing a private suit against him to prove that he is acting without reason and that he targets her because of her legal activities.
Dalida has worked hard to fight this case, but more importantly, she is constantly involved in trying to ensure the animal welfare laws in Bosnia are applied. She needs our help. She has over 100 animals rescued from the illegal dog catchers or saved from abuse or starvation on the streets. She needs help to cover the costs to keep them safe, fed, healthy, off the streets, and away from the illegal dog catchers. She is working very hard to get the animals placed in adoptive homes outside Bosnia, but this debt is decreasing as time goes on. Until the dogs can be rehomed, it is necessary for now, to keep all her rescues safe.
Please assist by donating – any amount will help. There is a YouCaring set up to help cover September fees. You can also donate directly via Paypal, details below.
Dalida is an unemployed lawyer from Sarajevo who has been involved in protection of animals for more than 15 years and she is one of the activists with most experience in Bosnia. Also, she was one of the lobbyists who were involved in legislating of Animal Protection and Welfare Act in Bosnia, in 2009.
She investigates cases of animal abuse, as well as cases of obstructions in the implementation of the Animal Protection and Welfare Act. Her activities are focused on enforcement of this Act, collecting of evidence, filing criminal reports, and constant lobbying to ensure the Bosnian authorities implement the Act. Dalida also acts as a liason with international animal welfare advocates. She follows all activities of the police, the prosecutor’s office, and the veterinary inspectors, in order to prosecute and punish people who harm animals. She also participates in media debates about animal welfare.
For the sake of all the animals in Bosnia, we can not let Dalida’s spirit be broken. She needs our help now, as she recovers from this latest court battle. She needs our help to raise the money she needs to pay expenses through the end of September and the coming months. She can not keep her animals safe without our assistance.
If you prefer to donate directly via Paypal, you may use the following Paypal address: eldar.kozlic1@gmail.com. You may also donate directly at: donations@awabosnia.org and please mark for “Dalida’s September Expenses”.
Please read related articles/blogs on this site for more information:
Disturbing Irregularities found in Dog Catching Service of Sarajevo
The Dog Catchers of Sarajevo are Back
Pope’s Visit to Sarajevo Means Death for Dogs
Sarajevo Demonstrations Against Illegal Dog Catchers
Former Military Base in Sarajevo involved in dog killing?
“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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DONATIONS
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.
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 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. Even just one dollar or one euro will help make a difference.
Cases of abuse of the law have already been recorded. Most of the dogs caught by the dog catchers employed by “Rad” are taken to the veterinary station of Canton Sarajevo where dogs are examined and ordered to be released on the street or taken to shelters for stray dogs. The official policy of the Cantonal veterinary station of Canton Sarajevo is to implement the Act for Protection and Welfare of Animals, but one of the veterinarians has allegedly ignored the law killed dogs. This has been reported and it’s expected the veterinarian will be punished. A number of dogs, including puppies caught by the dog catchers of “Rad” have been taken to Gladno Polje shelter where the situation is inhumane due to overcrowding and lack of adequate care.
IN MEMORY OF VUČKO 
