Extermination of dogs at Breza Coal Mine, Bosnia

Posted on May 24, 2015 by Sandra Jensen

By Dalida Kozlic, lawyer and activist in BiH

The management of Coal Mine Breza, Bosnia Herzegovina, ordered and implemented a mass extermination of stray dogs last week.

More than 25 stray dogs, which had lived in the area, were killed during the past weekend. Employees of the mine, which is owned by the Public company Elektroprivreda, Bosnia’s second-largest power utility, noticed that dozens of stray dogs were missing in the area of the coal mine. After many conversations with employees, it has been found that more than 25 stray dogs were killed in the area of the coal mine on the 17th of May.

According to the statement of witnesses, the management of the coal mine, which is led by a director who is a member of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), ordered members of the hunting organisation from Breza to kill all strays in the area of the mine. Two years ago the SDP party proposed amendments to the Act on Protection and Welfare of Animals, amendments which would have allowed the killing of healthy, stray animals.

Two notorious hunters, who have been reported dozens of times committing criminal offences of torturing and killing animals, shot the stray dogs on the 17th May. The criminal report against the hunters and the management of the coal mine was filed in the police station Breza yesterday. Also, the Prosecutor’s office of Canton Zenica – Doboj was informed about these offenders.

Medo is a dog from the coal mine. He was saved from the coal mine just a week before the mass killing. Medo was hit by car in front of the coal mine and employees had been feeding him. Employees asked many people to help the dog but no one wanted to provide veterinary care for him including bosses and management of the coal mine. Medo is now safe and he is recovering from injuries, but the dog has not been able to walk since then and all his friends are gone since no one was aware of the dire acts being planned for the stray dogs in the area.

Note: Dalida Kozlic had posted on her Facebook page the following just two weeks ago:

“My dad received a phone call from employees of coal mine in Breza today. They told him that one dog had been hit by car in front of coal mine on Monday. Employees of coal mine have been feeding him, but the dog couldn’t walk since then. Also, they have asked many people to help the dog but no one has wanted to provide a veterinary care for him including bosses and management of the coal mine. My dad, our vet and I went to coal mine had gone to goal mine and found the dog that was in bushes. We took him to the veterinary station immediately. The dog was exhausted and dehydrated. Also, we found a wire near his neck. The vet says that his skin and hips aren’t injured, but his right last paw is badly injured as well as joints of the left paw, because of those injuries he is unable to walk. The dog will be x rayed next week. He was treated by the vet with analgesics, vitamins, antibiotics and many other medications. After treatment had finished, we took him to the vet’s pension. I will need your help to pay medications and treatments for this wonderful gentle giant. We named him Medo (Bear; in English).”

Dalida needs our help. Not just for Medo and his veterinary costs, but for 85 rescued dogs and 8 rescued cats. Without Dalida these animals would be starving or dead. Without Dalida, the situation for all strays in the country would be even more dire than it is. She desperately needs support to pay for her rescues’ pension costs, medical costs and food. If you can help, please go to the YouCaring: https://www.youcaring.com/DalidasRescues

If you prefer to donate directly via Paypal, you may use the following Paypal address: eldar.kozlic1@gmail.com. Once you have made a donation via the YouCaring or directly via Paypal, please click confirm receipt otherwise the funds are not available to Dalida for some weeks.

_____________________________________________
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.

______________________________________________

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.

A little Bosnian Cat Soul has left us….

Posted on October 22, 2014 by Sandra Jensen

Today a little cat soul left us to join the Big Cat Soul. It was an accident, no one’s fault. He had been rescued by one of the loveliest women – inside and out – I have ever met, Amra Ribić who lives in Tuzla, Bosnia Herzegovina. If you read this blog, you will have seen her in the photographs of the rescue of cats and dogs during the floods.

R.I.P. sweet kitten Milo, I hold you in my arms when I hold my own cat Ronan, or perhaps the Big Cat Soul holds me.

I can only console myself with the fact that little Milo had Amra’s love and care. I have always said that if I returned in another life it would be to Angel’s Rest, Amra’s little cat shelter in Tuzla.

Please visit Amra’s first blog… Good bye M(s). She wrote about Milo so beautifully….. please send her your love and healing for her broken heart.

Perhaps the best way to show her some support is to help with the cats she looks after… you can ‘like’ the Angel’s Rest Facebook Page, you can join the Angel’s Rest Facebook Group. You can offer to be a virtual adopter of one of the cats or kittens, sending a small monthly donation, or you can send a one-off donation for food and kitty litter via Paypal to:
ernaerf@gmail.com – please mark for ‘Angel’s Rest’.

Andrea Kalman, her two eight-year old twins and I visited Angel’s Rest in September. The first thing we noticed was that the little apartment smelled so clean, so good. Given how many cats Amra takes care of, this is an astonishing feat. And also – all the cats were so happy and healthy! Yes, there were a few grumpy moments between one or two cats, but most cats prefer to be solitary and really do not like to be in a group of other cats (unless they are family). But these cats…. they played, they cuddled, they purred, they smelled delicious. It was truly cat heaven.

Amra is a talented, educated, beautiful young woman. Like so many of the rescuers in Bosnia Herzegovina. She is living in a country where she cannot get work, certainly not using her skills (she has a degree in arts production). Any work available does not pay enough to live on. She cannot leave the country as it costs too much to get visas.. and where would she go? Until one of us wins the lottery… in the meantime she has to try to stay sane in a country that is listed as number ONE of all countries the citizens are most dissatisfied with. Incredibly high unemployment rates, corruption in government. Almost everyone I met in Bosnia was depressed, or worse.

And if you are an animal lover, it is hell on earth. Bosnia Herzegovina has some of the highest number of animal abuse reports to international welfare organisations…

How someone like Amra who is so sensitive, who loves animals so much, who does everything she can for them… how she manages to survive mentally and emotionally, I don’t know. I know it’s hard for her, I know she has very dark times.

So please reach out and keep visiting Amra’s new blog THE PRIVATE LIFE OF A CRAZY CAT LADY.

Let’s show her that she has a huge family, a community who care, who are listening.

Photographs of our visit to Angel’s Rest…..

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

_____________________________________________
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.

______________________________________________

Rescuing the Rescuer

Posted on August 2, 2014 by Sandra Jensen

Jelena Paunović, activist, rescuer and journalist in Sarajevo needs our help. Please read about her here. Jelena is one of the main reasons anyone outside of Bosnia Herzegovina knows about the dire situation for strays. During last year’s attempt to change the BiH animal welfare laws she was fully engaged with helping organise demonstrations against these changes.

She has investigated the ‘horror shelters’ and shared the story, often putting her own life in danger.

If you have read in this blog the appalling situations in the so-called dog shelters, and in particular with the dog ‘shelter’ in Hresa, it is primarily due to Jelena’s investigative work. No one will ever forget the photograph of the starving dog, taken at the shelter.

But the fact remains that for an intelligent, educated, dedicated young woman in Bosnia, someone who fights a cause – animal welfare – that the government shows no sign of supporting, a cause that the general populace is against, the options are few, and she is now at her wits end how to survive.

Jelena has had no paid work for well over a year now, but still has managed to continue her advocacy work. She has been trying to find a job in all possible ways but… in Bosnia 60% of young people are unemployed. She is just one more of them (please read her blog, “Fuck this Country“).

Jelena can’t go on like this. She has one option, to sell her small, but now utterly ruined apartment. It’s ruined because of all the rescues she’s fostered, and because she’s had no income to fix things.

To put the apartment on the market, she has been forced to put into pension (kennels) the cats she rescued over the past eight years and has been fostering, but she has no income to pay the cost of this pension, but also no choice to do this. She is in a terrible situation because of this. She has no possibility of a bank loan, no one in her family who can help and all her friends are in a similar situation: struggling to survive while also struggling to save the animals.

Jelena says: “There are seven cats in total. Other than these, I also have three dogs living in my apartment who were also rescued off the streets. This means that in my devastated apartment I have a total of 10 animals. I have tried to find homes for them, but I failed. For the past four years my apartment has had no heating system and the windows are so old they can no longer hold the glass. I have nylon on my windows instead of glass. Tens of stray dogs went through my flat. When I add it all up, it was nice to save them all, but I have destroyed my life. Now I am trying to sell the apartment in which I can no longer live. All I ask is your help to gather the money to keep the cats in the pension until I can sell my apartment. When people see so many animals, trust me, they vomit, and they bring the price down, and this apartment is the only material thing I own. For the first time I am begging you for help, because I will go insane!”

Many of the dogs you’ve seen on these blogs that were rescued and eventually found homes for outside of BiH were fostered by Jelena in this apartment. Surely we can thank her for all the fine work she’s done by helping fund the cats until she can sell her apartment?

The cost to keep the cats in pension is 3 euros per day per cat, about 530 euros per month. She’s managed to raise some of this, but for this month alone still needs at least 250 euros. Can we raise this and one month in addition so she can focus on selling the apartment and not worry every moment about how she will pay this debt?

And if you think you can offer a home to one of these lovely cats, please email her directly.

If you can help with the pension debt, you can donate directly to Jelena via PayPal to journalistsforanimals@gmail.com – mark ‘for cat debt’ – or if you prefer, via AWABosnia’s Paypal: donations@awabosnia.org, please mark ‘for Jelena’s cat pension debt’. Thank you! Any amount will help, perhaps you can offer to pay one day for one cat (3 EU/4 USD)? Or better – offer to be a Virtual Adopter for one cat for one month? If you can, please let Jelena know! Email: journalistsforanimals@gmail.com

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

_____________________________________________

DONATIONS
Funds are needed for spay-neuter projects, to help individual rescues but 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 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.

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.

______________________________________________

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.

How to make a long-term difference for the strays of Bosnia

Posted on July 31, 2014 by Sandra Jensen

If you have followed this blog you know that the so-called ‘shelters‘ of Bosnia Herzegovina are filled with beautiful dogs, many of them living and dying in the worst conditions possible. You also know that the streets of the towns and cities are overrun with strays, that abuse and killing is a ‘normal’ fact of life for these strays. Animals found with wire deeply embedded into their necks; dogs be-headed; dogs left to die, locked up without food or water; their mouth’s strapped around fireworks… The list is endless and ongoing. What can be done? Education and spay-neuter-release. We can rescue as many dogs and cats as possible, but never enough to make a long-term change.

AWABosnia, Animal Welfare Advocates for Bosnia, will soon be concentrating on raising funds for rescuers to undertake spay-neuter-release programmes. But the sad fact is most of the rescuers don’t even own a car.

Andjeo Sarajevo – animal welfare charity in Sarajevo – who recently, with your help, undertook the sterilisation of a large group of dogs living around a factory in Sarajevo, cannot do more sterilisations without a car. It’s simply not affordable for them to rent one.

Two wonderful animal lovers, Angela and Adela, have started an Indiegogo campaign to buy them a car: A Small Car For A Big Cause.

The campaign has only nine days to go, and the goal is only 25% reached. Can you help? Please click the link above or the photograph below if you can help.

And if you can’t, please share this blog with your friends, Thank you. This can be the first step to making a huge difference.

Please help stop the suffering…

_____________________________________________

DONATIONS
Funds are needed for spay-neuter projects, to help individual rescues but 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 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.

______________________________________________

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.

Flood Rescues from Bosnia – an update on three beautiful cats

Posted on July 28, 2014 by Sandra Jensen

So many people donated generously to assist in the animal rescue efforts during the terrible flooding in BiH in May. Here is an update on three cats that were rescued, and then kept safe by Angel’s Rest of Tuzla thanks to your donations.

All three were rescued from Bosanski Šamac which was almost completely destroyed by the floods. As one of the rescuers said when they went in there: “It’s really hard to find words to describe all the horror we saw there, even photos are not the best indicators. That smell of death and despair I will remember for the rest of my life.”

Two of the cats were found wandering through muddy streets, disoriented, hungry, thirsty and scared, and third cat had been surviving for more than a week on the roof of a house. Rescuers had to reach her by boat – paddling through what once were streets, playgrounds and gardens.

Although this cat was supposed to be wild, the moment she saw the rescuers approaching, she “..literally wanted to jump into our boat.”

All three cats appeared to be pregnant, but it was soon clear that one of them who they named Katarina, was very ill.

A veterinary examination indicated she had a severe inflammation of the urinary tract, and was not pregnant. After days of aggressive therapy, Katarina showed no improvement.

An ultrasound was unclear, so the vet suggested surgery to confirm if there were adhesions in her inner organs. Also, there were some cancerous changes on her nose and ears, but it was decided it was best to leave these alone. The operation showed that her uterus had thickened and had serious calcification, so it was removed. But her health continued to be so fragile. In the end, with lots of consulting with several vets, the final diagnosis is cancer, which has spread everywhere.

Katarina is in Angel’s Rest in Tuzla, under the very best of care from her rescuers. “I just want to give her peace in her last, hopefully, months on this world. She still wants to be here and I will respect her decision to leave, once she feels like she’s ready to go.”

The silver tabby kitty rescued, named Sophie by her foster mum, also had a vet check shortly after rescue. It was found she was also not pregnant, but heavily infested by worms, for which she was treated and she is now doing really well, also at Angel’s Rest.

“Sophie is young lady (she’s under a year of age) and she’s ready for adoption. Gentle, sweet and very playful.”

The third cat, Steffi, was confirmed very pregnant and gave to 4 beautiful kittens on the fifth of June.
10352579_683358608366078_8647748015950086372_n Very sadly, just a few nights ago one of Steffi’s babies fell out of the window and died, a terrible accident as there was netting on the window, but somehow one of the cats managed to rip an opening. Everyone is absolutely devastated.

R.I.P. little white butterfly.

The other kittens and Steffi are doing really well, the kittens are 7 weeks old and soon they will need homes.

A huge thank you to the rescuers, to the fosters who have taken such good care of these beautiful cats and of course to everyone who donated to the flood fundraiser. If it weren’t for you, these lovely cats would not have survived.

Amra from Angel’s Rest says: “It became very hard to recall memories of the time when all of them were found, now when they all became “house” cats. It’s so good to see them have a normal life after that hell they lived before. When we rescued them, we thought they are all pregnant, but ended up that Katarina is just too sick and Sophie was full of worms. Only Steffi came to safety with offspring. Wish this horrible accident with her baby didn’t happen. But, in her memory I will do anything to find great homes for her siblings and mum.”

If you think you can adopt one of these cats, please contact Dutch Lansky Schultz Meyer on Facebook or contact us here at info@awabosnia.org and we will forward on the email.

Angel’s Rest Facebook group is here. They and their associated group, Marianne’s Dog Food Bank, do extraordinary work for the strays of Bosnia-Herzegovina.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

_____________________________________________

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.

______________________________________________

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.

BOSNIA FLOODING: ANIMAL RESCUERS AT WORK

Posted on May 26, 2014 by Sandra Jensen

1466143_10204120508715762_4719223288492878201_n Rescuers have been working around the clock in the most severely affected areas of Bosnia Herzegovina.

Our respect goes out to everyone involved – rescuers from Marianne’s Dog Food Bank, Angel’s Breath, Journalists for Animals, Andjeo Sarajevo, in particular Caki Bravo, and so many other individuals who have joined in the efforts. Your donations have helped save lives, thank you so much! Help is still needed, please keep sharing our YouCaring Fundraiser.

Pictures speak louder than words…

10363900_10203356293083268_4525027107641049208_n
10409500_10203353772058903_2396890578025554672_n
10342007_10203356288483153_4306295204130837762_n

10411790_10203353896742020_2321112617199483921_n

One story: today, on the way to Orasje to assist with emergency rescue efforts Andjeo Sarajevo saw this dog….

This dog had a family before the floods. His family has lost everything they had in the flooding. They could not take care of the dog anymore. It is injured and slowly but surely starving to death. People asked Andjeo Sarajevo to put the dog down by driving their car over it to end his suffering.

Andjeo Sarajevo will bring the dog to safety. He has been named Dean after a generous animal advocate in Ireland, and has just been offered a home in Finland.

But this is the reality of the situation. So many people have nothing – their homes washed away in the floods, they had so little before and now they have nothing.

If you can help please donate via our YouCaring or via Paypal to donations@awabosnia.org as per the instructions below and mark it for EMERGENCY FUNDS. Thank you! No amount is too small.

For ongoing updates please see our Facebook page AWABosnia

_____________________________________________

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.

______________________________________________

CRISES IN BOSNIA CONTINUES…. dogs and cats abandoned and stranded!

Posted on May 23, 2014 by Sandra Jensen

Animal rescuers have been working around the clock in Bosnia – but the situation is desperate and rain has started again… So far, no international animal welfare organisations are able to assist with the evacuation and rescue of dogs and cats and rescuers lack enough manpower, cars and also boats to actually get to areas where dogs and cats are stranded and starving. It’s a critical situation.

Rescuers from Tuzla area (Amila Citakovic, Dutch Lansky and Ivana Tomic with Marianne’s Dog Food Bank and Angel’s Breath) have been in the Samac area which has been severely affected. In the last days they took 300 kilos of dog food, medication for dogs, blankets and many other supplies try to set up a safe place for evacuated dogs. They have managed to get official permission to enter Bosanski Samac from the crisis headquarters of Republika Srpska and are organising an evacuation of dogs in Samac and Orasje area this weekend. Volunteers are needed, those who are experienced with frightened and disorientated dogs. They need cars, a boat, leashes, collars, building materials, vet care, everything.

Our group, AWAB, have been in contact with Four Paws but they are currently in Serbia and cannot get to Samac to assist with the evacuation.

We have been distributing funds from our YouCaring fundraiser to as many groups and rescuers as possible.

500 Kgs of food was brought to Zenica for Sapa Zenca organistion to distribute in the Zenica area and another 500 Kgs to Andjeo Sarajevo to distribute, all thanks to your donations…. (and to the help of Almir Kuduz of King Pension in Sarajevo).

We have a special ‘thank you’ video for all who have donated:

The work is not over. Please keep sharing the fundraiser. Most of the funds in it have already been distributed and there is much work still to be done.

In the last days the Tuzla rescuers have visited the flooded villages of Vojskova and Prud but were prevented from entering by the police as the priority for authorities was to take out dead animals. These are villages with many farms – many animals are dead there, mostly pigs and cows. Civilians could not enter these areas. The rescuers spoke to the people there and were told that they are trying to feed dogs and cats that are still alive and on second floors of houses, and these people promised to keep them all alive until the water withdraws. Right now, corpses are floating around the area.

When the rescuers went to Bosanski Samac, a town hit by floods in the worst possible way, they were unable to enter the town without permission from the authorities (which they later received). Temperatures were high – 30 degrees. The town emitted a horrifying smell. Dogs who had managed to get out of the flooded town had been gathering in a pack at the army point. Reports are that hunters have been killing dogs. This was confirmed from several sources to rescuers and by soldiers and volunteers helping to evacuate people.

The State Veterinary Office has been contacted about shooting of dogs. ThIs is what we know: basically Bih is in a phase of risk assessment and risk and damage control, (referring to health risk hazard). Major risk management includes elimination of transmission of diseases, and dogs are considered to be one way disease can be transmitted.

However, shooting would NOT be considered a official method of destruction or elimination – bleeding in the water or on the soil will cause greater risk of diseases. Bosnia is in a major danger risk zone for an outburst of epidemic diseases

Risk management is important but certainly every decision on destruction/killing of animals must be assessed first and if justified (and only a vet and medical doctor should be able to state this) it must be applied in a controlled manner and environment. It is critical that the law on animal welfare is to be followed when it comes to method of killing. If shooting occurred it has to be proven and prevented, but resources to do this are lacking, and, if you have been reading this blog you know that illegal shooting of strays (and even owned dogs) is a very common occurrence. This situation has every possibility of being abused – as a carte blanche for mass killings of stray dogs (not that there are many survivors…)

The rescuers from Tuzla fed and helped as many dogs and cats as they could as they passed from village to village but it was often very difficult. Dogs who once had owners, were running around absolutely disoriented, totally wet. There was one particularly awful incident: “We lack words to describe the horror in their eyes. Took a while for them to notice we are calling them. They were just running around with no direction. A smaller dog got hit by a car in front of our eyes, we started screaming, the dog started running in even bigger hysteria. No injuries. Only shaking body and frightened look. We managed to catch them and get them into the car immediately. After placing them in the car all three of us started laughing, thinking how happy we are to get them, but in only 3 seconds laughter turned into crying. We have seen many things, but such horrifying state, confusion and despair – never.”

Rescuers from Sarajevo (Andjeo Sarajevo and Journalists for Animals and others) have also been active: they brought donations of dog and cat food for people who have animals but don’t have food to feed them. Also, they were able to deliver items of food and other necessities for people that had been donated locally.

They once again visited the ‘horror’ shelters of Gorazde and Foca.

Fortunately, these towns were not severely affected by the floods but the shelters are still entirely inhumane for the housing of dogs, particularly Gorazde. They still keep too many dogs at the shelters, and they keep a lot of dogs in small cages. Luckily the man working there allowed Andjeo Sarajevo to bring food and water to the dogs.

“We noticed immediately that something was wrong with one of the dogs… A small terrier is completely blind and the other dogs are jumping all over him, fighting for their survival, while this poor little boy doesn’t know what is happening to him. He was trying to get to us so that we could pet him, but it was impossible through the gratings. We asked the worker to permit us to take him out and take pictures of him, so that we could try to find him a home. We got to take the pictures, but he told us that we had to call the director and ask for permission if we wanted to take him with us.

We called the director, who didn’t seem very interested. He told us that he was out of town, and told us to come back on Saturday and fill out the adoption forms before we could take him with us. We left bags of food for the and the worker told us that we were welcome to bring them food any time, it would to them good because they were mostly fed white bread. We also found a Labrador, 9 years old, left by police officer who had said: “he is not good, don’t want to sniff drugs”. He is an adorable dog, well behaved… is there anyone who want to give this beauty a home? He has all papers and vaccines..so he is ready for forever adoption. We will pick both dogs up up on Saturday.”

The rescuers also donated food to the shelter in Foca. There were only three dogs there, but they never keep many dogs. It is likely the kill them and launder money from the authorities through the few dogs they keep there. No photographs were allowed to be taken of Foca shelter, but the rescuers brought food and fresh water.

One more dog was saved, from Doboj, another very badly hit area. “When I started my car she was barking and calling us to stop. When I pulled over my car she just sit in front of it and stare at us asking to take her with us. She is the size of pekinese, adorable and just want to be hugged and loved. So, we couldn’t leave her there wondering will she be alive tomorrow. So, she settled nicely on the back seat of my car and finally had calm sleep all the way to Sarajevo and her new temporary home till her forever home We named her DOBI”

Bodies of dogs and cats are being found everywhere. There are so many sad stories: Upon returning home after the flood, a resident of Topčić found his dog who did not survive the terrible floods….

Also, cows, pigs, rabbits, chickens have been left to die in the water. Epidemiologists say that many infectious diseases will be spreading within next few weeks. Many animals are injured. Many of them will be sick.The rescuers need your help to buy food, medications and to pay veterinary bills for vaccinations to help stop the spread of disease. Most rescuers are unemployed and so cannot afford to pay for such things.

10345990_562954640491089_775918517718054949_n

If you can help please donate via our YouCaring or via Paypal to donations@awabosnia.org as per the instructions below and mark it for EMERGENCY FUNDS. Thank you! No amount is too small.

For ongoing updates please see our Facebook page AWABosnia

News articles and videos:

Balkans floods: Edin Dzeko urges world to help Bosnia
Under the surface of the Balkan floods lies a social disaster
Floods have united the people of the Balkans
Video of rescue of dogs in flooded parts of Croatia by members of Croatian Mountain Rescue Service
Video showing how Doboj town in Bosnia was flooded within few minutes
Civilians Banned From Bosnia Villages After Flood

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

_____________________________________________

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.

______________________________________________

Day of Mourning in Bosnia Herzegovina.. how many animals have died?

Posted on May 20, 2014 by Sandra Jensen

Authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina declared today a day of mourning for those killed in the floods. At least 17 people have died.

No one has counted the death toll of the animals – the cats, the dogs, the farm animals. In just one farm – Borojević farm in Bosanski Šamac municipality, 400 cows drowned.
Gallery and news article (in Bosnian). There was one survivor…
We have just heard that this town has maybe one hundred dogs surviving but abandoned, without food – both stray and owned, and this is only one small area! Rescuers are trying to organise a trip there to bring food.

The government says 1 million people, or a quarter of the population, have been affected by the flooding and landslides, comparing the destruction to that of the country’s 1992-95 war. This is a natural disaster beyond the comprehension of anyone in the country. They have never suffered something like this in living memory. There are landslides and mudslides everywhere, roads and railway lines are destroyed and will cost more money than the country has to rebuild, and the floods have moved land mines left there since the war, which will endanger the lives of survivors and rescue workers.

Someone from Doboj (one of the worst affected areas) said the water came into his town so quickly it was already 3 metres deep within an hour, and by the time the alarm sirens were sounded it was already there. People and animals had no chance.

Andjeo Sarajevo animal welfare charity and other rescuers are working in all areas of Sarajevo and have visited many badly hit areas – they spent this last weekend in Olovo, Maglaj and Doboj helping both people and animals. They have released trapped and hurt animals, fed stray dogs and cats as well as owned dogs and cats from people who have lost everything. Andjeo Sarajevo also visited one of the ‘horror’ shelters in Doboj and fed the surviving dogs there.

Rescuers from Tuzla area (Marianne’s Dog Food Bank organisation and others) have fed animals, rescued dogs from drowning, made shelters for street dogs, left food for packs of dogs and people who feed them. They also brought to the vet a litter of puppies with canine parvovirus. They distributed about 400 kg of dog and cat food to rescuers in Tuzla and other people feeding dogs and visited the areas struck by landslides in Tuzla.

This group was instrumental in assisting the 171 dogs in Orasje shelter. They were telephoned with the news that imminent disaster could strike… They rushed to buy water supplies, blankets, working gloves, canned food in case they got stuck there for few days, and about 40 kilos of dog and cat food. As one rescuer said: “Mixed feelings and surroundings reminding us of the war time…People making barricades to slow down water if it comes fast. Landslides and houses gone all along the way. News on the radio bringing nothing encouraging…”

Orasje shelter is one of the best in the country, supported by Animal-Kind International and BAF. When rescuers arrived all was well but they prepared cages in front of each kennel so they could rescue dogs should flooding occur.

“And than we waited… The most horrible thing – hoping for the best, expecting the worse. Every now and then we went out on the road to gather information from people in charge for this area. And in meanwhile, played with dogs, helped shelter team clean storage room… As night came close, we got information that the road back home is closed. We spent the night in Svetlana`s home, with
her wonderful dogs, while she and shelter stuff kept watch at the shelter… Nobody called for help during night – we feared this the most. Another day in the shelter we spent a little bit more relaxed, as information we got confirmed situation is under control. Measures are still taken at the spot, and nobody knows what tomorrow brings… One thing we know though, just a phone call and we will be on our way there again! Villages not further than only 3 km from shelter are completely flooded, people evacuated. We were well aware the worst can happen fast, but at the same time – it`s like we spent these 2 days on another planet, surrounded by wagging tails in beautiful shelter. We thank everyone for donating in last days and enabling us to help where needed. Many dogs were fed on the way to Orasje and back.”

Tomorrow Andjeo Sarajevo and Journalists for Animals will drive to dog shelters in Foča, and Gorazde and other critically affected areas in BiH. It is a 2-3 hour drive to Foča and no one knows how the roads are. They will stop along the way to feed strays and any abandoned animals they find.

We are very grateful for the generous donations – so much has been done with your help. But the catastrophe is not over, help is still desperately needed. Donations for petrol, veterinary care, food, everything. We are distributing the funds amongst several groups and independent rescuers. No amount is too small, with 10 euros it is possible can buy 10 kilos of dry food for dogs.

ALSO: supporters in Germany have donated 1.6 tons of food supplies – Royal Canine food (one year to expiry date), which they plan to deliver as soon as possible to Bosnia – they have the truck for the transport, the only thing missing now is the petrol money (and the driver). All in all, they are trying to raise EUR 800 for the transport, so we hope to help with this if not pay for all of the funds needed. This amount of food would cost far more in Bosnia and it is high quality food, much needed. Food will be divided amongst the most needy shelters and areas and rescuers, throughout Bosnia.

If you can help please donate via our YouCaring or via Paypal to donations@awabosnia.org as per the instructions below and mark it for EMERGENCY FUNDS. Thank you!!

For ongoing updates please see our Facebook page AWABosnia
News articles:

A ‘1,000 Year’ Flood Wrecked The Balkans, Destroying 100,000 Buildings And Homes
Bosnia, Serbia declares national mourning, flood toll rises
Historic Floods : Worst Flooding in more than a Century hits Eastern Europe (YouTube)
Toll mounts as thousands flee Balkan flooding (YouTube)

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

_____________________________________________

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.

______________________________________________

THE CRISIS CONTINUES: all help still needed for the dogs and cats of Bosnia!

Posted on May 18, 2014 by Sandra Jensen

It is day five of the emergency situation in Bosnia Herzegovina.

Thank you everyone for your ongoing donations! Rescue work continues with food being brought to stranded dogs and cats. Areas most affected are now being driven to as the water begins to subside.

While the Red Cross, the European Forces, the Slovenian Army, the UK Flood Response team and other organisations are assisting, as far as we know the only people trying to help strays and dogs and cats abandoned from evacuations are a tiny handful of animal advocates and groups like Marianne’s Dog Food Bank in Tuzla and Sapa Zenica in Zenica. We are distributing funds raised between as many as we can. PLEASE KEEP SHARING OUR FUNDRAISER.

The news is ongoingly terrible: at least 25 people dead and fears that landmines will be exposed after the torrential rain. Tens of thousands of homes are left without electricity or drinking water. We have no idea of the death toll of the animals.

“Bosnia is facing a horrible catastrophe,” said Bakir Izetbegovic, the chairman of the Bosnian three-man presidency. “We are still not fully aware of actual dimensions of the catastrophe … we will have to take care of hundreds, thousands of people.”

Many people’s bodies have been recovered so far in Doboj. Word is that whole families died trapped in cars and vehicles when caught in flushing floods in the area. There is one of Bosnia’s ‘horror’ dog shelters in Doboj… rescuers have just reached it and tell us the situation there is critical. There is no food or water for the dogs.

Around 5000 houses are flooded in Prijedor municipality, 40,000 people are left without drinking water because municipal water system is flooded. Fedin Gunic’s safe haven for over 100 rescue dogs and cats shelter is without water.

In the northern town Banja Luka, the river Vrbas overflowed. “We have been waiting for the rescuers for hours, too many people are in danger,” Milanka Stojic, a 62-year-old pensioner said.Volunteers were trying to collect hundreds of stranded cattle that have fled flooded farms around Banja Luka, according to Mirko Ostojic, the owner of a dairy farm. “Many animals are trapped in the mud and dozens of sheep have just been swept away by the floods,” Ostojic said.

Embankments in Orašje have been breached by Sava river and settlements Vidovice and Kopanice are being flooded and evacuation of people has just begun. Dogs are being evacuated from Orašje dog shelter, supported by Animal-Kind International and BAF (Stichting Dierenopvang Bosnië)

Also as the rescuers drive to the most affected areas they are of course coming across people in dire need, who stop the car and hope for some bread or water. As one of the animal rescuers said: “This is so embarrassing .. we feel ashamed ..People jumping in front of our car begging for food..People just begging me to give one bag of dog food thinking it is bread. This is terrible – People in Maglaj are starving, stopping our car, asking for food.” ***If you want to help with some funds so the rescuers have something to give please donate directly via Paypal to donations@awabosnia.org but make sure to mark you donation for ‘human food and water’.***

Help is needed for the animals! Donations for petrol, veterinary care, food, everything. No amount is too small, with 10 euros it is possible can buy 10 kilos of dry food for dogs. If you can help please donate via our YouCaring or Paypal to donations@awabosnia.org as per the instructions below and mark it for EMERGENCY FUNDS. Thank you!

News:
Bosnia and Serbia floods: thousands flee as death toll rises
LIVE BLOGS AND UPDATES: DEVASTATING FLOODS IN BOSNIA AND SERBIA
Bosnia floods create new land-mine risk in Balkans

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

_____________________________________________

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.

______________________________________________

DAY THREE: STATE OF EMERGENCY – all help needed!

Posted on May 16, 2014 by Sandra Jensen

The government of the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina has declared a state of natural disaster.

Overflowing rivers have burst into towns and villages, cutting off whole communities, landslides have buried houses. Whole suburbs of Sarajevo and other towns have been submerged. Army helicopters have been sent to evacuate thousands of stranded residents but reports say bad weather is hampering the rescue efforts.

All animal rescuers are doing everything they can but with great difficulty as the worst hit areas are impossible to reach. We’ve raised donations for food supplies for strays and animals left behind but now there is a concern that local stores are not even able to supply enough.

Even when flooding ceases, the situation will continue to be critical as we are probably looking at outbreaks of canine parvovirus, distemper, demodex and other diseases. So the rescue efforts need to be sustained!

We have contacted WVS and they have stated they will try to assist. In the meantime we continue to fundraise and have created a special YouCaring fundraiser for the emergency efforts:

There is devastation everywhere, not just for dogs but for cats too…on BHT1 TV channel today (Bosnia Herzegovina public national broadcaster) the reporter from Doboj town explained how bad the situation is in Doboj and at the end of his report he added that there are many cats on roofs of houses and buildings that he can see from his apartment…

Drowned animals are found everywhere….

Help is needed! Donations for petrol, veterinary care, food, everything. No amount is too small, with 10 euros it is possible can buy 10 kilos of dry food for dogs. If you can help please donate via our YouCaring or Paypal to donations@awabosnia.org as per the instructions below and mark it for EMERGENCY FUNDS. Thank you!!

PLEASE ALSO CONTACT YOUR COUNTRY’S ANIMAL WELFARE ORGANISATIONS AND VETERINARY ORGANISATIONS AND ASK THEM TO ASSIST!

News articles:

The government of the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina (FBiH) declared a state of natural disaster
Bosnia and Serbia emergency after ‘worst ever’ floods
Land mines shifted by Bosnia Flooding
Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina Slammed By Worst Flooding In Over A Century
House collapses into river

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

_____________________________________________

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.

______________________________________________

IN MEMORY OF VUČKO

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

Category Archives: Urgent – cats needing help

Extermination of dogs at Breza Coal Mine, Bosnia

A little Bosnian Cat Soul has left us….

Rescuing the Rescuer

How to make a long-term difference for the strays of Bosnia

Flood Rescues from Bosnia – an update on three beautiful cats

BOSNIA FLOODING: ANIMAL RESCUERS AT WORK

CRISES IN BOSNIA CONTINUES…. dogs and cats abandoned and stranded!

Day of Mourning in Bosnia Herzegovina.. how many animals have died?

THE CRISIS CONTINUES: all help still needed for the dogs and cats of Bosnia!

DAY THREE: STATE OF EMERGENCY – all help needed!