6/6/14 – Earlier in the week we were contacted by Kat regarding the posts that we have dedicated to Romania and stray dog mass killer Flavius Babulescu.
Kat has begun to set up a new website for stray animals across the EU, it is called ‘NESS’, and Kat is trying to build up a picture of all stray animal issues right across both EU and non EU member states, which of course currently includes Serbia.
NESS is a newly founded, non-profit network which seeks to unite all the different groups and branches engaged in European stray protection. The two main aims of the network is:
1. to gather all those active in stray protection in order to combine them to a greater political and economic force to achieve the general improvement of the strays’ situation. And
2. to interlink NGOs and other groups who are active in rescuing and protecting stray animals in order for them to support each other in their practical work.
We were more than happy to give Kat access to all our Romanian campaign data and also, we at SAV have now signed up as full members of the NESS network, as we see this as being both beneficial to strays across existing EU member states, but also as an EU NGO, it allows us to work with other groups in the NESS network and provide regular information on the current situation for stray animals in Serbia and other Balkans states currently seeking EU accession (membership).
The NESS website is still under construction in some areas, but some sections are also initially completed – you can visit it at
http://www.streuner-netzwerk.eu
and select your language (English or German) using the flag links which are given top right.
One of our aims at SAV has always been to promote the fact that despite having some good animal welfare legislation; Serbian governments and regional authorities are very reluctant to enforce them. A fundamental requirement of gaining EU membership is to prove that the member state seeking membership is applying the rule of law in its own nation. With regard Serbian strays, this is never done; and so now, we have the additional support of the NESS network to give further support to our campaign of ensuring that Serbia does enforce the rule of law for its own stray animals prior to being allowed to gain EU membership. Also, with additional support from other members of the NESS network, we will, when necessary, be able to apply greater pressure on the Serbian government and authorities to enforce their own national animal welfare laws, whilst at the same time keeping the EU enlargement Commission (responsible for the accession of new member states) well informed about the issue of Serbia enforcing its own ‘rules of law’ re stray dog management. If, as we have always found, Serbia is NOT enforcing its own animal welfare laws, we can then use the NESS network to update the EU Commission on the non-compliances.
Enjoy your visit to the initial NESS site, which will be built on as time and information progresses. We have informed NESS that we are willing to release many of our archive photographs relating to stray animal abuse in Serbia; which can then be added to the NESS site along with SAV posts and Serbian links and information as considered necessary.
We at SAV consider the NESS network will be a strong and effective partner in giving additional support for action to be taken throughout Europe for the welfare and protection of stray animals.
Please add the NESS website link http://www.streuner-netzwerk.eu to your ‘favorites’ so that you can regularly visit in future to see how the issue of European strays is progressing.
Regards
Mark – SAV founder.
Photo: Huib Ruiten (NL).
Filed under: CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, PHOTOGRAPHS - **WARNING** (Animal Suffering), SERBIA (Central Serbia: Capital - Belgrade) and (Serbia, The "Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) ALLIANCE | Leave a comment »
Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) 