While my focus these days is to tell you about the horrific plight of dogs in state ‘shelters’ (please see Horror Camps for Animals in Bosnia) every day there are crisis cases found by Jelena Paunović and the other animal welfare activists. One that particularly touches my heart is Arca.
Arca is not even a year old. She was found on Sunday the 18th of November near one of Sarajevo’s gymnasiums. Her left rear paw is gone, dropped off from some awful injury (who knows what, probably a car accident), but healed, by itself, apparently without veterinary assistance. On the street.
But… she was found with a several day old terrible injury on her right rear paw. This injury had dead and infected tissue. The visible part of the bone had changed the color to gray, which is not a good sign or a good prognosis.
Throughout her body there are are less visible wounds, scratches and contusions. She could only move using her front legs, dragging her hind legs behind her. She was brought immediately to the vet and to King Pension which has an excellent record for caring for very injured dogs.
On Tuesday the 21st she was operated on. The wound was cleaned, withered tissue removed and much of the wound has closed. That which could not be closed will be treated daily until healed. Another veterinary investigation is scheduled for Friday.
Funds were raised to cover initial veterinary fees and her stay at King Pension (the latter costs 120 euros/ $155 a month), but she will need more funds to ensure she makes a complete recovery and can stay the winter at King Pension. As per usual in Bosnia, there are no foster homes available for this poor dog, but she needs such ongoing care that she is better off right now at King Pension. She will also need her vaccinations and to be spayed. Spaying costs approximately 80 – 100 euros, vaccinations 10 – 20 Euros each. She may also need a dog ‘wheelchair’ to help her get around if the new injury does not heal.
If you think you can offer Arca a forever home, please contact me. It is possible to adopt dogs out of Bosnia, into the USA or other parts of Europe. It’s difficult, but possible. Tinchicy, a disabled dog who was in a state shelter in Sarajevo, was adopted by Tracy Fry in Victoria, Canada, and Loppy – who you can read about here – will be soon in the UK with Sheila Prestwich. It takes a lot of fundraising and effort, but where there is love, there is a way.
Please donate to ensure that Arca receives all the care and time she needs and for a possible re-location outside of Bosnia (this costs from $500 – $1000), even just one dollar or euro will help.
UPDATE November 22: Enough funds have come in for 2 months pension and her veterinary care! Thank you everyone!
UPDATE February 22, 2013: Arca has been adopted in Slovenia, in a lovely home where she has the company of two cats and two dogs. All of them have some handicap, and are taken very good care of.
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HOW TO HELP:
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 dog, 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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IN MEMORY OF VUČKO 