As you know, mass demonstrations against the massacres of stray dogs in Bosnia were held in front of the Parliamentary Assembly in Sarajevo on the 11th November, and also were held in other cities in the country including Mostar.

Huge media attention followed the demonstrations, and documented their aftermath. Approximately 2000 citizens, activists, volunteers, politicians, and guests from Norway, the United Kingdom, Germany, Denmark, Holland, Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia, Switzerland, Slovenia, Austria, Hungary, and other European countries, attended the demonstrations. On the same day, demonstrations were held in Washington DC, organised by The Tanzie Project.

Many more offered support virtually through social media.

Media coverage of the demonstrations was particularly extensive, including In the days before the demonstrations when many news portals reported about the illegal killing of stray animals and the money laundering behind these activities.

Videos of the demonstrations as well as other media coverage can be seen on following links:

Inicijativa Primjena Zakona o zaštiti životinja- ODMAH – official Facebook page of organisers

federalna.ba portal  – video report

The prime minister of Canton Sarajevo started attacking activists one day after the demonstrations, but activists won’t give up, actually our fight is becoming more organised and we more dedicated than ever.

Our official demands were:

The Protection and Welfare of Animals of Bosnia Herzegovina laws were ratified eight years ago. Since then the authorities of Bosnia Herzegovina have allowed many politically eligible people and companies to own public shelters for stray animals that haven’t been built, registered nor established in accordance with the laws on establishing and conditions that shelters for stray animals must fulfil in Bosnia Herzegovina.

Dogs in those illegal public shelters are not identified or registered and they are killed illegally in notorious ways. Corpses of dead dogs are removed and destroyed in unknown ways in hidden locations.

The latest and the most infamous example is the shelter for stray dogs in Praca which the Government of Canton Sarajevo rented without the legal procedures from a private person and his building company.

There is no system of control for captured dogs nor for the transport of dogs to the shelter or for controlling their numbers in the shelter.

Dogs in Praca live in filthy concrete kennels without food and water, standing and sleeping in their own faeces.

1.000.000 KM (500.000 Euros) is transferred from the budget of Canton Sarajevo for this horror annually.

We demand implementation of the Act on Protection and Welfare of Animals by those who have enacted the law and who are obliged to implement the law.

Our demands are:

1. Urgent terminating of illegal killing of stray animals in public shelters in Bosnia Herzegovina. The Veterinary Office, Veterinary inspections, Police forces and Prosecutor’s offices must agree to put a stop to what is happening.
2. Urgent control and closing of all public shelters that do not fulfil the conditions that are provided for by the law and bylaws.
3. Urgent presence of veterinarians in all shelters.  This must be ordered and controlled by the Veterinary Office and Veterinary inspections.
4. Urgent suspension of the sale of Praca shelter to the Government of Canton Sarajevo from Murai Commerce Company, as well as termination of the contract between the authorities of Canton Sarajevo and Murai Commerce due to the failure of implementation of the law and the contract.
5. Transparent and legal financing of projects to solve the problem of overpopulation of stray dogs.
6. Urgent and general termination of all illegal and inhumane catching of stray dogs as well as their killing and placing in unknown locations. Again, this must be fulfilled by the Veterinary Office and Veterinary inspections.
7. Implementation of legal provisions to allow all citizens and volunteers to visit and monitor all shelters for stray animals.
8. Urgent action of veterinary inspections in order to control the registration of pets as well as dog breeders.
9. Urgent penalties for of all people who abandon their pets.

Written by Dalida Kozlic L.L.B
Please show your support of the rescuers by visiting the official Facebook page and ‘liking’ it and sharing the posts, many also have English text. Also please visit the Prihvatilište za životinje Pahulja-Mostar Facebook page and offer your support there.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

RELATED POSTS:
Mass Demonstrations Against Massacres of Strays in Bosnia
Horror Behind Closed Doors of Dog Shelter
Dog Catchers Continue their Killing Spree for Personal Revenge
Hunters – the most notorious killers of stray animals in Bosnia Herzegovina
Unimaginable cases of torture and killing of stray animals in Bosnia
Mass poisoning of stray dogs in Zenica, Bosnia
Poisoning of dogs ordered in Donji Vakuf, Bosnia
Monstrous Killing and Injuring of Stray Dogs in Zenica, Bosnia!
Dogs found slaughtered outside Shelter in Sarajevo
Puppy Flung off Bridge in Sarajevo, Bosnia
Puppy dies after horrific attack in Bosnia Herzegovina
Loved Street Dog Hanged in Gradiska, Bosnia!
Boy steals puppy and hangs it – Prnjavor, Bosnia Herzegovina
Dog’s Skull Deliberately Crushed in Bosnia Herzegovina
Another Dog Tortured by Wire in Bosnia
DOG TORTURED WITH WIRE IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA!
Puppy burned alive in Bosnia Herzegovina!
Dog Beheaded in Bosnia
Sarajevo Demonstrations Against Illegal Dog Catchers
LONDON PROTEST AGAINST SLAUGHTER OF DOGS IN BOSNIA HERZEGOVINA AND ROMANIA
PROTEST TO END THE BRUTAL KILLING OF DOGS IN ROMANIA & BOSNIA HERZEGOVINA
ANTI KILL-LAW FIGHT – “IT’S NOT OVER” PROTEST MARCH

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.