Animal Welfare
for dogs
StrayCoCo = Straydog Control through Cooperation
Supporting Street Dogs in the Southwest Balkans
With your donation, you are helping dogs in Europe's poorest area: KOSOVO
Zürcher Kantonalbank
CH-8401 Winterthur
For donations in CHF:
BIC: ZKBKCHZZ80A
IBAN: CH13 0070 0110 0055 2113 2
For donations in EUR:
BIC: ZKBKCHZZ80A
IBAN: CH87 0070 0130 0085 1457 7
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We are not everywhere, but where almost no other international NGO helps
StrayCoco (Stray Dog Control through Collaborations) is committed to animal welfare for dogs in countries with large stray populations that are too often treated cruelly. Where barely a single animal welfare organization has taken care of street dogs so far, we are there, having the animals captured, castrated/vaccinated and, if necessary, treated for their illnesses and injuries. We work together with willing authorities and private individuals in four regions.
Our goal is to promote sustainable projects with local people, veterinarians, volunteers, and local animal welfare activists. To do this, we are showing animal welfare models and expanding the infrastructure. We are aware that this is a long and costly journey.
The basic principles of our work, currently in Kosovo:
- Castration and treatment, then release to the previous precinct
- We do not run animal shelters and do not accept dogs (with the exception of our Animal Shelters)
- Continuing education programs for employees and interested small veterinarians;
- Visiting schools and raising public awareness about street dogs
LATEST NEWS FROM ANIMAL WELFARE
Petition against killing animals
At the beginning of 2025, the municipality of Vushtrri in northeastern Kosovo awarded a contract to a veterinarian specializing in farm animals. The municipality under Mayor Ferit Idrizi ordered the castration of 3000 stray dogs and the killing of 800 more dogs (see the above picture from the tender). All protests in advance were in vain. It is known that aggressive or sick dogs are rarely found in the Vushtrri region as they have been treated for years as part of a CNVR (Catch-Neuter Vaccinate Release) program to reduce uncontrolled puppy births. The first friendly dogs are now missing in this region. This is a trauma for the dogs that are caught and killed, as well as for citizens who care for their community dogs in some places. It also sends the wrong message to young people in Kosovo. The order: Killing 800 dogs under the pretext that only sick and aggressive dogs may be euthanized in a city where stray dogs have been treated and released for over three years because they are healthy and not aggressive is simply cruel.
Wanted: Donations for Leposavic
New CNVR program in Leposavic
In our work on animal welfare for dogs, we are now starting to treat and castrate dogs in Leposavic/Kosovo: In parallel with our work in North Mitrovica, it makes sense to carry out a CNVR program (Catch-neuter-Vaccinate-Release) in the neighborhood as well.
The mayor of Leposavic, Lulzim Hetemi, has already encouraged his citizens to have their dogs spayed free of charge if they don't have enough to live on. We are also satisfied that this community is not giving false incentives to build animal shelters as required by the government, but is working with us in a field castration program to stop reproduction.
OUR TOPICS IN ANIMAL WELFARE FOR DOGS
We focus primarily on the treatment and castration of street dogs to give people safety and health, including education for children, training veterinarians in castration technology, information campaigns and animal welfare policy. Animal welfare is paramount.
our work in Kosovo
- CNVR - Catch-Neuter Vaccinate Release
- Political work
- Education about pet husbandry in schools
- Postgraduate training for veterinarians
- Animal care support
- sponsorships
- information campaigns
- Dog diseases in the South Balkans
- Adoptive dogs
With your donation, you help animal welfare for dogs.
An overview - what we do and want!
Thank you for your interest in our foundation
There are around 400 million street dogs worldwide and their number is constantly increasing, especially in poorer regions. With our animal welfare organization, we support local veterinarians in the recognized CNVR program (capture, neuter, vaccinate, release), currently in Kosovo, to curb the endemic increase of street dogs.
Dr. Helen Wormser
Founder and President of the Board of Trustees
Dr. Helen Wormser
Our mission
We are people who love animals and are willing to donate and work for their welfare. Dogs are the focus of our organization because we don't want to sit idly by an endemic increase in stray dog populations all over the world. We know that the same applies to cats as well as other animals that don't have it easy in this world. Nevertheless, we focus on stray dogs often suffering a cruel fate.
What sets us apart!
... is in particular the interdisciplinary approach. On one hand direct animal aid, on the other hand visiting schools to introduce children to proper animal care, training of veterinarians in small-cut castration technology through the partnership with KSAVA (Small Veterinary Association), talks at the Veterinary Faculty in Kosovo, indirect participation in legislation and implementation responsible dog welfare. But also daily help with treatment of suffering dogs and discarded puppies in our areas of operation!
THE IMPACT OF OUR WORK WITH STREET DOGS IN THE SOUTHWEST BALKANS
Our castration work since 2015 has had a direct impact on the regions where we are active. The number of puppies born on the streets has fallen significantly. However, dogs continue to be abandoned.
That is why we have expanded our field of activity — in addition to castrating privately kept dogs, we are increasingly focusing on educational work in schools and influencing legislation.
We are currently present in the following regions of Kosovo: Gjakova, Vushtrri, Skenderaj, Drenas, North-Mitrovica, and Leposavic — also providing emergency assistance for stray dogs in these areas.
We do not support dogs kept in animal shelters but plead for open shelters (Open Shelters) and dogs in the community (community dogs) that are cared for on an outpatient basis.
WHERE ARE WE ACTIVE IN THE BALKANS
Since 1.1.2015, our main activities in animal welfare for dogs have been taking place in Kosovo, a country in which no other international organization is permanently active. The people there have too little to live on. The animals live neglected on the streets and are avoided by humans because of their contagious diseases. Thousands of dogs in Kosovo need your help.
In October 2019, we also started our work in Niksic, Montenegro. This program is now complete.
We currently operate four partner veterinary clinics in the south, west, and northeast of Kosovo, three of which were built by us — except the clinic in Mitrovica/Skenderaj. A new sanctuary was built there in 2024. The Mitro-Vet small animal clinic is being set up, and donations and investors are being sought in 2025.
CNVR: capture/castrate/vaccinate/release
CNVR: CAPTURE/CASTRATE/
IMP/RELEASE
Important global organizations such as WSPA, WHO, PETA, and StrayCoCo Foundation, are convinced that the endemic multiplication of stray dogs can only be prevented through CNVR. This is the only, efficient, sustainable, and at the same time worthy of animal welfare through birth control and prevention against rabies — an essential contribution to animal welfare for street dogs.
StrayCoco works with local veterinarians, representatives of local government bodies, some volunteers, and local workers such as dog catchers or carers in temporary dog enclosures. We are working in as many places as possible to rapidly reduce the number of stray dogs sustainably and to ensure their protection.
If you are also convinced that neutering and mass vaccinations of dogs are the only right ways to reduce the number of street dogs and prevent cases of rabies, please help us with a donation. Currently, they are mainly used for our CNVR work in Kosovo. Castrating and vaccinating costs 50 euros per dog. In addition, there are the costs for the workers, who catch, feed, and release the dogs after treatment.
WHO ARE WE
The Board of Trustees consists of four committed members who volunteer to advise, support, and supervise projects — both from Switzerland and directly on-site in Kosovo, in close cooperation with our partner veterinarians. You can find our partners here!
Our animal welfare work focuses on the sustainable reduction of the stray dog population in four regions and individual communities, if this is desired by local authorities. We cannot carry out individual rescues across the board. The neutering and medical care of street dogs is provided in private small animal clinics, which — with the exception of Mitrovica (under construction) — were built by our foundation. Our goal is to secure the supply of small animals in the Southwest Balkans in the long term.
Contracts were concluded again with three municipalities for 2024/2025. Gjakova pays for all street dog treatments from its budget until mid-year. As the fourth municipality, Leposavic has now signed a contract with us.
ATTENTION TOURISTS IN THE SOUTH-WEST BALKANS!
With all dog love - you can rescue dogs but you can't bring them home without following regulations - otherwise you will bring the animal to certain death - and we don't call that rescue! Kosovo-Albania-Montenegro are third countries and pets may not be taken to the EU or Switzerland during holidays. In this article by www.albinfo.ch you can find out more about the regulations.
WHAT CAN I DO TO SAVE A DOG?
- Have the dog dewormed immediately, vaccinated against rabies and chip it;
- Place the dog with relatives/acquaintances for a fee and ensure that a blood test is carried out in an EU laboratory one month after the rabies vaccination;
- 3 months later, you can bring your little friend with you.
Donate for animals and Europe's poorhouse: help Kosovo.
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