The spirit of a tortured dog

Posted on February 10, 2016 by Sandra Jensen

In memory of Lilly

Few weeks ago one of my beloved dogs died. Her name was Lilly. My parents and I saved her in April 2013. She was starved and part of her leg was missing. We found out that someone had cut off part of her leg with an axe and left her to die. Lilly had managed to come to the centre of Ilijas where we found her. Her condition was awful. Her leg was infected; she was completely starving, with terrible problems with fleas and stomach problems. Lilly’s leg was amputated since nothing could be done to save it.

For two years Lilly proved to me how wonderful and inspiring stray and tortured dogs can be. She lived my parents and I at our home with other dogs. Lilly was full of life, her spirit wasn’t broken. During that period I saved a lot of dogs including many puppies. Lilly was a mother to all of them, she played with them, taught them how to behave with older dogs, spent time with them. She was an alpha dog in my pack, always full of life and ready to help me with other dogs, to control and take care of them.

During all these years in rescue world I have seen so many cases of tortured animals, I have seen a lot of pain and suffering of innocent beings, I have seen what people can do to those who can’t defend themselves. Also, I have seen that every tortured animal has an unbreakable spirit that every tortured animal can be inspiration for many other animals and for people too. It is difficult to gain trust from tortured animals. During that process every rescuer has an opportunity to learn a lot about understanding and the adaptation of hurt souls and bodies. If we give our best, those animals can learn that there are good people and they can have a normal life without pain and stress. Seeing that an abused animals is recovered is wonderful and the best thing in the rescue process. Healing is difficult process, as well as understanding. Every animal has an individual personality and rescuers must find a way to help that personality to heal.

Thanks to Lilly I found out how an abused animal can help other animals, how she could teach other dogs to be careful, to be good and to recognise good and bad things, and how to become strong dogs with strong personality. Lilly gave her best to be “spirit” of my home, she gave me support with other dogs, and she became a wonderful leader of my pack.

Remember every saved animal must be helped not only to heal wounds on its body, but to heal wounds on its soul. Every saved animal can teach you more good things than all the people you meet in your life, because suffering in silence is the worst thing that exists in the world…

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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.

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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. 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.

Vucko’s Legacy

Posted on December 31, 2015 by Sandra Jensen

By Dalida Kozlic, lawyer

Winter time is one of the worst periods in the year for animals and activists in Bosnia. The main reason is the Bosnian coldness and snow, which cause severe problems for stray animals: they need more food, more protection, more attention. But there is one more reason every activist hates winters in Bosnia — the illegal use of fireworks.

The illegal use of fireworks in our country is a common problem. Fireworks are often used by children and teenagers, but adults are also regular users of fireworks. Animals and small children are victims of this illegal “fun” of the Bosnian people, and during winters there is an increasing number of fireworks used in Bosnian streets.

This illegal fun of the Bosnian people caused one victim whose story no activist or person involved in rescuing animals will ever forget, a victim whose story will chase us forever.

Vucko was a young German shepherd dog who had the misfortune to be born in and to live in Bosnia. In Ilidza (a small town, part of Canton Sarajevo) on the 11th November 2011, two drunken teenagers put a firework in his mouth, taped his jaw shut and then set the firework alight. The explosion caused one of the most horrific injuries of a dog’s face that people had ever seen, but it did not kill him. After he had been so horrifically injured, Vucko wandered the streets for five days. His face was completely disfigured; his jaw was destroyed, as well as his tongue and his teeth. He was in awful pain, without any possibility to eat or to drink. No one helped him until group of activists found out about him and rushed him to a Veterinary faculty in Sarajevo. The veterinarians were shocked by his injuries and condition. Part of the firework was still in his face. Worms and maggots were eating the destroyed tissue. There was no hope his face could be reconstructed in Bosnia or elsewhere, it was completely destroyed.

(Note, you can see pictures and video of Vucko’s injuries here, but be warned, they are shocking and graphic)

Vucko was euthanized, but his story has remained to teach us a few things.

Activists named him Vucko. It is a Bosnian word for small wolf. The sad irony is that Vucko was also the name of the mascot of the Olympic Games, held in Sarajevo in 1984. By 2011, Sarajevo was famous for its notorious attitude towards animals, especially stray animals.

Vucko’s story showed the world how violent Bosnian people are towards stray animals and how passive Bosnian authorities are towards solving cases of animal abuse. The teenagers who did this to Vucko were never prosecuted. The official excuse of police officers and the prosecutor was that there was not enough evidence, and that “they were only drunken teenagers”. And, there are some of us who will never give up on trying to bring justice for Vucko.

However there was one more aspect of Vucko’s story which proved Bosnian cruelty towards and ignorance of those who suffered. Vucko’s was wandering for five days and no one helped him, no one tried to catch him. Only when activists found out about him, was he brought to a vet. No “ordinary citizens” had reacted. Our society is incapable of understanding of animal abuse. This proves that our society does not understand those who are unable to fight for themselves, it does not understand their rights. Our society has a complete lack of empathy for those who suffer.

Bosnian people do not want to understand that animal abusers are people with pathological personality traits, people who tend to become abusers and killers of people (if not already).

Vucko’s case proves that our society as well as our legal enforcement agencies are not interested in helping injured animals, nor are they interested in bringing abusers to court. Prosecution of animal abusers is the basic function in protecting animals. Special prevention should send a message to abusers that if they reoffend, they are to be arrested and punished. This message would therefore sent to the society that the state and the judiciary system do not tolerate animal abuse, and thus the problem is recognized as a deep social anomaly and that each abuser is to be punished.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina torture and killing animals is a criminal offence. However, the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators of the crime very rarely occur. The problem of the judicial institutions and the police is similar; it is generally the view that cases of animal abuse are irrelevant to judicial institutions and prosecutors. Essentially, police officers are not capable of understanding how dangerous animal abusers are and what problems they can cause to the society.

People have started realising that in the heart of Europe there is a small country that pays no attention to the rights of animals even though it has one of the best Acts on Protection and Welfare of Animals in Europe. What even sadder about this story is the fact that the Bosnian people survived the worst war conflict after World War II. More than 200 000 people were killed, a million of citizens left the country, and hundreds of thousands were victims awful massacres, ethnic cleaning, raping, daily torture and starvation in the period from 1992 to 1995. We all knew what it meant to be desperate and helpless during the war, and yet no one wanted to help Vucko. Bosnian people have the best knowledge about being helpless, and yet most of them do not feel empathy towards helpless animals.

Believe me, things were so different during the war. It seems to me that many people have lost their hearts after the war.

However, Vucko’s awful destiny has resulted not only in the publicising of atrocities that have happened to animals, it has created a whole new aspect towards helping animals in Bosnia.

Thanks to the widespread publication of Vucko’s fate, including through this website and blog, people have had an opportunity to know the scale of atrocities Bosnian animals are going through. Vucko’s story has helped galvanise people outside of Bosnia towards helping save animals in the country. Animal Welfare Advocates for Bosnia (AWABosnia) and other groups and individuals have saved thousands of animals since Vucko died. I believe that this blog and AWABosnia have played one of the most important roles in preventing Bosnian authorities from legislating amendments to the Act on Protection and Welfare Animals, amendments which could allow a kill policy for stray animals. In Memory of Vucko (this blog, run by Sandra Jensen) is, I believe, the best way to follow Vucko’s path. People who are involved in this project have given up a lot of things to make things better for Bosnian animals, and thank you for that.

Vucko was a victim of unimaginable torture, his short life’s end was a result of living in a cruel society, but he died surrounded by the people who saved him, knowing that there were still some good people in Bosnia. Vucko did not die for nothing, he left us a legacy. That legacy is very difficult to bear, but it is also a motivation for all good people to keep going, to save more and more lives, to chase offenders, to fight for animals and their rights in Bosnia. Vucko’s legacy must always be a motivation for every volunteer, for every activist, for every organisation to keep going, because we are the only persons who can help those who cannot help themselves.

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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.

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Saving Arca

Posted on November 21, 2012 by Sandra Jensen

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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Horror Shelter in Hreša PART THREE

Posted on November 11, 2012 by Sandra Jensen

Jelena Paunović and the other animal activists returned to Hreša on the 7th of November. They found a completely deserted shelter. The dogs they’d seen there previously were no longer. However there was a large, locked container. Without police protection it was not advisable for the activists to investigate further.

So far we have had no response at all from emails and letters to the local authorities. I know many of you have also sent letters, without response. Nor have we had any useful response from international animal welfare organisations or any journalists that we have contacted, other than from Animal-Kind International who have a partner organisation in Bosnia, BAF, which is headquartered in the Netherlands. Animal-Kind have been very supportive in all kinds of ways, but we are all stymied by the lack of support and response on the ground from local authorities.

And please keep sharing the petition:
Demand Investigation into Horror Shelter in Hresa, Bosnia.

The Rescues

Seven puppies and two adult dogs were rescued from the Hreša shelter.

The Puppies
One of the puppies was too weak to survive. The others are doing well, but are quite traumatized.

Stella

Mia, Stella, Jimmy and Winnie

Johnny, Mia and Pug

Adult dogs
A lovely dog they’ve called Clooney…

Clooney is about 10 months old. They named him Clooney because he is such a sweetheart, such a stunning and handsome dog and such a heart-stopper to all women who see him.. He behaves beautifully on a leash, is very calm, he behaves beautifully with adult dogs, puppies and cats. As Mia Ožegović, one of the activists with Jelena says, “If you ever wondered what George Clooney would look like in doggie-world, THIS is as close as can get!”

But, one of the adult dogs is shockingly traumatized…

Mia says:
“I thought I saw everything…all the worst atrocities a human kind is capable to do to a living creature, especially a dog , whether in reality or on tv shows such as ASPCA on Animal planet etc. But this story …this case ….this female dog …. this is unbearable …. I’m trying not cry and trying to talk and describe her from a distance. I am trying not to let my emotions and anger and despair prevail …. I have never seen so many people cry after getting in touch with a dog that had such an abusive past as this lovely female had. Thinking of how to name her, one adjective was always coming to my mind … “It was a true GRACE that she ran out of that kennel at Hresa so we could pick her up and take her away from that hell …” I think it would be appropriate to therefore to name her Grace …. Grace was (with no doubt) heavily beaten-up over a long period of time, either by her previous owner or by the people responsible at the Hresa Shelter, but we will never know the exact truth. She is unable to walk, not because she is in pain but out of sheer fear. Each time someone makes a gesture or moves a hand quickly she immediately gets down and stays down because she thinks that we will hit her. She holds her tail as curled up as she possibly can. It took us an whole hour and a half just to make her do two steps on her own, or even to encourage her to get up from the ground and just stand. She has bite-marks all over her body, probably because the other dogs with whom she was sharing the kennel at Hresa, would fight or bite each other out of hunger. She is in such a poor psychological and physiological condition that for her complete recovery she will need a great deal of time to pass. She was brought to the very fine edge of starvation. She is a walking skeleton. You can’t call her “a dog” because she isn’t one. She is just an image of a dog, a vague and bleak image of something that people classified as “a dog”. This is a crawling, breathing, nightmare …. Soon we will post a video of her, just so you could see for yourself all this and much much more of all this that I’m trying to explain regarding Grace’s condition. she will be “a dog” one day, she will one day roam and jump and play like all dogs do. She will twinkle her tail when she sees a human being …she will …. we just have to help her become that.”

UPDATE February 22, 2013 Lovely Clooney has been adopted locally in Sarajevo.

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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.

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It strikes me that it was a year ago today that Vučko was so brutally tortured.

Help Save Laki and Mima

Posted on October 11, 2012 by Sandra Jensen

Laki is behind, Mima in front. Both these lovely dogs were run over by cars at the age of 2 months in Sarajevo, Bosnia.

Mima

Mima was run over intentionally, along with 3 of her siblings. Two of her siblings died, the other was rescued. The rest of her four siblings were taken away by a man and never heard of again, except for Mima who was rescued by Arijana, one of the freelance animal welfare volunteers in Sarajevo. Arijana raised funds for Mima’s operation, and she now has a bar in her leg, but she manages just fine. She is now about 6 months old, living in King Pension which costs 120 euros a month.

Mima when she was first found and her wound:

Mima as she is now, aged 6 months:

LAKI

Laki has the same story: a 2 month old puppy run over by a car, his front leg crushed. No one wanted him and he was left on the street until Arijana rescued him. He was also operated on, thanks to donations, and he also has a bar in his leg. He and Mima are best friends and he lives in King Pension, is now 6 months old.

When he was first found, and after his operation:

Laki as he is now, in King Pension:

puppies together

Arijana does not have the money to keep Laki and Mima at King Pension. They are looked after very well there, this pension is the best in Bosnia. But now Arijana does not know what to do.

If you can sponsor Laki or Mima or if you would like to adopt them, please contact me.

Please contribute, even just one dollar or euro will help keep these dogs off the streets.

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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.

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IN MEMORY OF VUČKO

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

Tag Archives: Vucko

The spirit of a tortured dog

Vucko’s Legacy

Saving Arca

Horror Shelter in Hreša PART THREE

Help Save Laki and Mima