The StrayCoco Foundation sees itself as an activist

Dear animal lovers

We have just had exhausting times, as Kosovo is recently planning an animal shelter law and has included in the drafts available so far an article according to which street dogs may be euthanized after 15 days! In 2017, with the support of the US Embassy, we succeeded in effectively preventing the killing of street dogs in Kosovo - now it is once again included in the draft regulation for animal shelters. We felt that the Kosovo Animal Rights Foundation did not represent us in this matter and asked the involved EU Commission to include us directly in the working group, which then succeeded. We have made it clear that healthy dogs must not be killed - but the population of street dogs can and must only be reduced through dog owner control. According to this, animal shelters make sense IF domestic adoptions also take place.

We have also asked for support from NGOs in Switzerland and received support from the ANIMAL IN LAW FOUNDATION, which clearly agrees with us. As a result, the State Animal Rights Foundation sent a protest email to the government, which we have supported. Among other things, we have called for competent managers to finally be hired in the veterinary office so that the program for the registration of dog owners is now introduced one year after the corresponding legislative enactment and clearly complains about the ongoing passive obstruction of the offices. Since then, there has been radio silence... we will continue to report.

Our foundation sees itself as an activist and not as an administrator — we want to change sustainably. This is what sets us apart from many animal welfare organizations. Not only are four and at times five partner veterinarians in Kosovo and one vet in Montenegro working continuously for street dogs, we are investing in modern infrastructure in the countryside for the treatment of abandoned animals and we are interfering in politics and legislation and having our veterinarians teach in schools. This includes continuing education for both veterinarians and our employees. I have now been offered the opportunity to exert increased influence in Kosovo by being appointed as the only foreigner to the board of the Civil Society House. This fact also gives our foundation respect, which we will use in the interest of the animals.

And lastly, I would like to refer you to our website, where you can REPORTS find the 2021 annual report.

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Yours, Dr. Helen Wormser

(President of the Board of Trustees)

Swiss Animal Law Foundation in Kosovo

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Fortbildung zum Thema "Strafrechtliche Verfolgung bei Tiermisshandlungen

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The highlight of May was the trip by three lawyers from the Zurich Animal in Law Foundation to Kosovo, financed by StrayCoCo. The Fondacioni për të drejtat ë kafshëve had organized a training course with the Judicial Academy and the Public Prosecutor's Office on the subject of “Criminal Prosecution for Animal Mistreatment.” CEO Gieri Bolliger and his colleagues Vanessa Gerritsen and Katerina Stoykova spoke. The conference was a success — we were all very impressed by the participants' interest in this topic.

Read it at: Animal in law, Switzerland

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Pet care instruction

‍In Kosovo, we are in a country that does not know the profession of zookeeper. Instead, men in particular are training in the profession of “vet tech” and are replacing veterinarians in large animals. Our employees in the four sanctuaries are without any training and support us because they like dogs or at least they don't fear them.

As in previous years and with previous employees, the STRUBELI ANIMAL SHELTER in Hegnau was also ready to instruct our only female employee Tatjana Gjoka in animal care for two days in June. We would like to thank the animal shelter team and especially Athina Löhrer for this great support. In autumn, we are planning further training for our employees in Kosovo.

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Ausbildung Tierpfleger beim Tierheim Strubeli, Schweiz

Hunde Bad beim Ausbildung Tierpfleger beim Tierheim Strubeli, Schweiz

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Construction of the small animal clinic with sanctuary in Drenas

‍With DVM Shaban Mehmeti, our partner in Drenas - one of the poorest regions of Kosovo in the middle of the country - we are building our third small animal clinic with sanctuary.

In the north-east of the country, Vushtrri, and in the south-west of the country, Gjakova, there are the first small animal clinics built by our partners - in addition, a rented building in Mitrovica serves as a clinic.

We owe the largest financial investments for small animal clinics to the ASMI NARDO Foundation Liechtenstein. These “start-ups” represent sustainable development aid in a country where, as recently as 2015, the field was castrated with a water canister without electricity!

We are still very grateful for donations that enable us to invest — because supply creates demand. Our clinic in Gjakova is used intensively. Veterinary clinics allow us to castrate and treat many dogs at the same time, as well as offer private individuals treatment for their pet - free of charge if necessary.

Water access and electricity are installed in Drenas, which issues building permit. The sanctuary is already standing - under the trees in the background. 50,000 euros are still missing.

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Bau Gnadenhof Drenas, Kran legt die Basis

Bau Gnadenhof Drenas, Arbeiten erstellen die Basis

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School lessons again at last!

‍The two years of Covid restrictions in Kosovo are over. In Vushtrri - Skenderaj and Drenas, DVM Shaban Mehmeti, DVM Zenel Zhabari with DVM Armend Merovci and DVM Labinot Osmani have resumed school lessons and attended 5-6 classes a day. The topics were behavior towards street dogs with our flyer and keeping pets with the Suzy Utzinger Foundation children's booklet. The profession of a small vet is also presented as a result, as there are still too few specialized

Veterinarians for domestic animals. Impressions here:

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Aufklärung über Haltung von Haustieren in einer Schule

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CALL FOR DONATIONS TO BUILD UP SANCTUARY IN DRENAS

‍We still need 50,000 euros to set up the small animal clinic with sanctuary in Drenas! If you donate to start-ups, please mark them accordingly - all other donations go directly to the treatment and castration of street dogs. Our veterinarians work continuously and we have expenses of 15,000 euros per month for the CNVR program - including valuable sponsorship contributions. In addition, an educational campaign similar to Kosovo in Niksic/Montenegro is in preparation. The costs are estimated at a few 1000 euros. Thank you to all those who think of us again and again - and especially to the godparents who have been financially caring for individual dogs in our sanctuaries for years. Some have been living with us for 7 1/2 years! And a few have found a place to live.

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