Animal Welfare Spring Report in the Balkans

Latest news from NIKSIC/ MONTENEGRO

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After Covid, school visits are finally possible again and veterinarian Aleksandra Krivokapic spent a whole week visiting schoolhouses with 6 school classes each. The aim was always to promote understanding of the behavior of street dogs, but also to make it clear where they come from - namely from private households.

Our partner vet's practice consists of three tiny rooms, it rains in upstairs - it's all very poor. We have now privately bought a plot of land the size of a soccer field, where 95% of Sanctuary dogs roam freely. Only freshly treated dogs are fenced off. We want to create a transit center there for the treatment of dogs. We need an estimated 80,000 euros for this, for a minimal structure. It has electricity and groundwater, which is extracted from the well. It includes two old stone houses, but are dilapidated.

‍SHOULD ANYONE WITH MANUAL SKILLS BE INTERESTED IN HELPING OUT THERE FOR A WHILE, PLEASE REPORT!

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Meeting with Mayor of Niksic, Montenegro

The meeting with Marko Kovacevic, Mayor of Niksic, was very friendly — and yet there was a sense of hopelessness throughout his team. The city has no money and no concepts to deal with the situation of street dogs - and they are around every corner! We tried to convince and we'll stick with it. This city desperately needs our support.

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Feeding puppies in Gjakova, Kosovo

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PLEASE CLICK ONCE ON THE PICTURE

This picture is linked to feeding the little ones. They get the shop every 6 hours. They were released with their eyes closed in a cardboard box on Celine-Krushe e Madhe Street. Our vets heard the quiking as they drove by and it had already happened to them. The whole team has been taking care of the little ones for 3 weeks now.

Our partners' Pro Vet Clinic in Gjakova, which opened in 2018, currently has 30 dogs living on the sanctuary and six puppies have recently been admitted who have no chance of surviving on the street.

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StrayCoco Travel DRENAS-SKENDERAJ-VUSHTRRI

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The sixth day of travel was full of official meetings to reaffirm our agreements. In the three operational regions of north-east Kosovo, we first visited the mayor in Drenas, then in Skenderaj and finally in Vushtrri. In the evening, there was a meeting with almost all of our partner veterinarians in Kosovo. Drenas, Skenderaj and Vushtrri signed a contract with our foundation, according to which they support us with information campaigns to limit the suspension and contribute financially to castration costs with taxpayers' money.

We are still bearing the brunt, but we are able to treat more dogs than in previous years. That is why we were able to organize emergency operations both in Pristina at the end of 2021 and currently in Mamusha (Turkish-speaking village in the south) and treat an additional 100 stray dogs.

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INFORMATION CAMPAIGNS AND TRAINING

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Since December 2021, a nationwide information campaign has been running in Kosovo, which we have created together with the Kosovo Animal Rights Foundation. There are posters everywhere. We paid for the first three months of the campaign with printing/design and rent of the exhibition wall, which cost us around 10,000 euros - while the local foundation was responsible for the implementation. A renewal of the campaigns is being planned for summer and autumn, and we hope that we can receive specific donations for this purpose. Four posters have been prepared, and there is currently information that the dogs must now be chipped, the owners registered and that the suspension will be punished under the threat of repentance! The campaign is being conducted in parallel in Albanian and Serbian.

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MAKE CASTRATIONS SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE

Eliminating the prejudices against castration is a huge effort. These posters, designed by Matias Peitzolenka (Halle a.d.Saale), a long-time volunteer, are now hanging in every veterinary practice in Kosovo and also in Niksic. The benefits of castration are explained here - and since a state campaign to castrate privately kept dogs is about to begin in Kosovo, these posters serve to educate and motivate.

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HOW THEY CAN HELP

Time and again, we encounter unforeseen events. This was our emergency operation in the center of Pristina at the end of 2021 and right now we are helping to treat street dogs in Mamusha. That is why it is important to us that the FIXED COSTS are at least covered by sponsorships of our sanctuary dogs or a castration sponsorship, or that you adopt a dog to make room for new admissions.

You can find all details on our WEB SITE.

‍And if your company or foundation can help us by building two transit centers — Drenas/Kosovo and Niksic/Montenegro, ask detailed information.