Join Up to ‘Animal Connection’ – a Global Forum Helping and Protecting Animals All Over the World.

Serbian Animals Voice and sister group ‘Balkans Animal Suffering’ (BAS) – http://balkansanimalsuffering.wordpress.com/  are now both signed up as groups with ‘Animal Connection’; a site dedicated to helping and protecting animals all over the world.

It is simple to join – see the sign up link below.

There are a host of groups and organisations on the site of which you can become a member / supporter, as well as videos, blogs, forums, members photos, polls, pet pic of the month, rescue pet of the month, newsletter etc.  A great site for animal people everywhere and we suggest that you join up really soon.

Animal Connection – Helping and protecting all animals.

Links to our sites on Animal Connection are as follows:

Serbian Animals Voice:

http://animalconnection.ning.com/group/serbiananimalsvoice

Balkans Animal Suffering:

http://animalconnection.ning.com/group/balkansanimalsuffering 

 

Sign up to Animal Connection and become a free member at:

http://animalconnection.ning.com/main/authorization/signIn?target=http%3A%2F%2Fanimalconnection.ning.com%2Fmain%2Finvitation%2Fnew%3Fxg_source%3Dtab 

Please join us (SAV and BAS) and become a member / supporter of the ‘Animal Connection’ member network.

  

  

  

  

 

Serbia: 18/05/10 – New Photographs of Loznica Pound Animal Killings and Conditions at City Dump. No Wonder Stray Animals Are Attracted !!

 

 

 

 

Some of our recent post relating to Loznica city pound:

https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2010/05/11/serbia-loznica-city-pound-3-million-dinars-for-what-certainly-not-for-animal-welfare-politicians-maybe/

https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2010/05/13/serbia-loznica-city-shelter-captured-stray-dogs-used-for-target-practice-by-local-hunters/

https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2009/10/13/serbia-loznica-city-pound-death-camp-why-does-the-government-not-act-re-leskovac-city-policy-and-why-not-the-european-union-with-a-policy-for-stray-animal-welfare/

https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2010/05/16/serbia-sample-letter-to-send-to-the-government-the-eu-commission-and-to-the-world-organisation-for-animal-health-the-oie-serbia-must-change-its-attitude-towards-stray-animals-and-willingless-to/

In the following photographs you can see the location of the city pound / shelter for stray animals.  Convenient, as it is adjacent to the city dump, the place where a lot of the dead strays seem to end up.

Note – many of the following photographs show different parts of the Loznica shelter; and the dead animals killed by hunters which surround it.

The proximity of the shelter to the dump (facility behind cars).

Dead animal bodies everywhere !

The Animal Protection Society from Loznica city has obtained information that the building which is shown in the photographs, the ‘shelter’ for homeless animals, – 

https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2010/05/11/serbia-loznica-city-pound-3-million-dinars-for-what-certainly-not-for-animal-welfare-politicians-maybe/

has been provided with 14 million dinars + for animal welfare.

Below are 5 of our archive pictures of the situation at Loznica ‘shelter’ – note the red brickwork in other photographs:

The photographs have been supplied by the people of Loznica city.  It is alleged that the fencing around the shelter has been partly destroyed in order that some of the animals  held at the shelter can escape; only to then be killed by hunters from the area.  One of the photographs shows used gun cartridges as used by the hunters. 

A used hunters cartridge lies in the waste.

 

A hunters ‘target’ which survived the ordeal – but since killed ???

We are including also many pictures of dogs (ex strays which have been captured and sent to the shelter, only then to escape via the destroyed fencing and become a hunters target). 

The President of the local hunters society, which we are informed is called ‘Gucevo’, has said that the pound / shelter is ‘located in the hunters area, and so the hunters have the right to kill the animals’ !!

Less fortunate hunters ‘targets’ shown below:

 

Red brickwork above – see previous photographs.

Again Note the Red brickwork – dead animals very close to the ‘shelter’.

The Shelter in the Background.

Any wonder that other stray animals are attracted ?

When things such as this are lying around the city dump !!

– a haven for rats also, as well as stary dogs and cats, one would guess.

Dead Animals Strewn Amongst the Garbage.

TAKE ACTION    TAKE ACTION    TAKE ACTION 

Please take action as outlined in our previous posts.

A sample letter, complete with e mail addresses is provided.

Link:

https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2010/05/16/serbia-sample-letter-to-send-to-the-government-the-eu-commission-and-to-the-world-organisation-for-animal-health-the-oie-serbia-must-change-its-attitude-towards-stray-animals-and-willingless-to/

A Comment About the ‘Comments’

Big thanks to everyone who has been sending in their comments about SAV articles / posts; they are appreciated and we hope that this comment section gives everyone a chance to contribute if they wish.

But the issues of the last week or so have caused a huge increase in the amount of comments arriving.  That is great and we love to see them, but due to the limitations of the system, we are only able to show a small section of comments; ie. those which are most recent.

It is now 1-30 pm Uk time and already this morning there have been 5 updates to the comments section of SAV, such is the amount arriving.

This is a line to say that if you send over a comment, it will be published, but your name and the issue link may only be shown on the site for a matter of a few hours maximum.

I hope it is welcomed that we are attempting to give anyone and everyone the chance to voice their feelings on the comments section – but quantity arriving dictates that a conveyor belt system is now in place  which means that comments may only be displayed for a few hours rather than days.

But please keep them arriving.

Note – if you click on ‘Comments RSS’ which is located on the left hand side of the site, just above our visitors world map, you will be able to view a selection of the most recent comments.

Thanks and regards

Mark – SAV.

 

 

 

Serbia: Animal Campaigners Letter to the Serbian Government – Please DO NOT COPY and Send On Anywhere.

  

 

 

 

There are many Serbian visitors to this site.  This letter by a Serbian animal campaigner is reproduced simply to inform Serbian visitors of the situation in their country; a situation they may not be fully aware of, including the fact that their taxes are supporting mass animal killing by authorities when these same taxes should be supporting animal care at shelters.

THIS LETTER IS FOR INFORMATION TO SERBIAN SUPPORTERS ONLY – PLEASE DO NOT COPY AND SEND IT ANYWHERE !

Thanks – SAV.

————————————————————————————————-

Vladi Republike Srbije  – na srpskom , sluzbenom jeziku Republike Srbije

Commissioner Oli Rehn – in  english, official language  of   EU

OIE ,Paris –  in english, official language  of   EU

16.5.2010.

Postovani   g.Predsednice Vlade  i  postovani  svi clanovi Vlade Republike Srbije

Ponovo vam se obracamo ,mada smo to ucinili vec  bezbroj puta ,godinama ,  u svim  postojecim oblicima  komunikacije  gradjana  i nevladinih organizacija sa svojom Vladom : postom, e-mailovima, telefonom , otvorenim pismoma , dostavljanjem peticije sa 32000 potpisa  direktno u pisarnicu Vlade RS , gde smo trazili, ali nismo dobili prijem nasih predstavnika , gde smo dobili mali papiric-potvrdu s pecatom  Vlade kojim potvrdjuju da smo predali peticiju s 32000 potpisa  kojom zahtevamo  implementaciju svih vazecih zakona , i to je sve . Nema  implementacije zakona, i dalje  je nacin upravljanja u oblasti koja se tice zivotinja :  primenjivanjem nezakonitih  opstih i pojedinacnih PODZAKONSKIH akata nesaglasnih vazecim  zakonima , sto je protivustavno.

Ponovo vas molimo da postujuci Ustav, postupite po clanu 192. Ustava  i  clana 6. i clana  8.  Zakona o Vladi , i da  nalozite  obustavljanje primenjivanja opstinskih odluka kojima ,uz krsenje Zakona o javnim nabavkama  i Zakona o  komunalnim delatnostima kao i Zakona o drzavnoj upravi i lokalnoj samoupravi,  opstinske vlasti  bukvalno poklanjaju milione dinara iz opstinskih budzeta, pa cak i Ministarstvo  zivotne sredine i prostornog planiranja to cini  poklanjajuci milione dinara iz republickog budzeta  , javnim komunalnim preduzecima koja su  ilegalno dobila javna ovlascenja i koja ilegalno obavljaju  poslove  hvatanja i  unistavanja/zbrinjavanja pasa i macaka lutalica , BEZ javnog tendera , i kojima zapravo nije stalo da  psi i macke lutalice  nestanu sa ulica  u Srbiji, jer bi time izgubili  pouzdanu  , ilegalnu tezgu .

Zakonima  koji su na snazi u Republici Srbiji , a ciju implementaciju nalaze Ustav ,jasno je definisan dozvoljeni odnos prema  ovoj kategoriji zivotinja , kao i prema  ogromnim sumama javnog novca namenjenog   zakonitoj realizaciji  tog dozvoljenog odnosa, kao i  nacin davanja javnih ovlascenja i kontrole  obavljanja istih ,  medjutim vlast u Srbiji , od vrha do dna piramide vlasti , donosi i koristi nezakonite podzakonske akte – sto je protivno Ustavu  Republike Srbije , bila ona ili ne clan Evropske Unije.Na ovaj nacin  ta vlast krsi ustavna prava  svih gradjana Srbije , kako onih koji  bezuslovno postuju zivotinje- postujuci sopstveni Ustav, zakone, Univerzalnu Deklaraciju o dobrobiti zivotinja, Bernsku , Ramsarsku , Bonsku  i druge konvencije ciji je Srbija potpisnik ,tako i onih koji  zele  da njihov javni novac  bude namenski potrosen , da oni i njihova deca  i starci ne strepe od ujeda  gladnih pasa na javnim povrsinama u Srbiji , koji zele  da naoruzana udruzenja gradjana: ne istrebljuju zivotinje , da ne povecavaju potrebu za koriscenjem pesticida narusavajuci prirodni lanac ishrane  , da ne onemogucuju vizitorski turizam i odlazak u prirodu  jer pucaju vatrenim  i drugim oruzjem  po prirodi i postavljaju  opasne zamke, da  ne organizuju borbe zivotinja s trgovinom i kladjenima sto omogucuje  naziv tih borbi podzakonskim aktima : utakmice, treninzi ili neustavnim cl.23. Zakona o divljaci i lovstvu : – ` ispitivanje urodjenih osobina pasa` , dok su to u stvarnosti najkrvolocnije  borbe na zivot i smrt u jamama i gaterima –  a  koji je  u suprotnosti  s cl. 138.Zakona o veterinarstvu i clanom 7.Zakona o dobrobiti zivotinja  koji su bili na snazi u  vreme usvajanja clana 23 ,koji se  usled toga nije smeo ni pojaviti .

Zamrznite nezakonite podzakonske akte  drzavnih organa i jedinica lokalne samouprave i nezakonit cla 23. Zakona o divljaci i lovstvu ,nezakonit Pravilnik o zasticenim i strogo zasticenim vrstama zivotinja kojeg su napravili lovci i vlast , bez Crvene liste i bez monitoringa zivotinja , – ucinite  ovo postupajuci po cl 192.Ustava Republike Srbije , pa ako ih njihovi autori ne poniste u roku od 5 dana , trazite  od Ustavnog suda -ocenu zakonitosti  tih podzakonskih akata , ali trazite i zakonske  sankcije za one  koji ih nisu ponistili u zakonskom roku, kao i za one koji su  ozakonili  najkrvlocnije borbe zivotinja clanom 23. Zakona o divljaci i lovstvu , sto je  protivno Ustavu Republike Srbije, jer su borbe zivotinja zabranjene s dva  validna zakona Republike Srbije , koji su  bili validni u vreme  usvajanja clana 23. Zakona o divljaci i lovstvu.

Hvala.

Serbia: Sample letter to Send to the Government, the EU Commission and to the World Organisation for Animal Health – the OIE. Serbia Must Change its Attitude Towards Stray Animals and Show Much More Willingless To Move To A National Sterilisation, Vaccination and Identification Programme

Regarding the following posts;

https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2010/05/13/serbia-loznica-city-shelter-captured-stray-dogs-used-for-target-practice-by-local-hunters/

https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2010/05/11/serbia-loznica-city-pound-3-million-dinars-for-what-certainly-not-for-animal-welfare-politicians-maybe/

https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2010/05/06/serbia-exclusive-pictures-of-jkp-termerin-temerin-city-dog-and-cat-shelter/

https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2010/05/04/serbia-temerin-city-their-animal-shelter-death-after-3-days-and-a-national-public-attorney-who-says-all-is-ok/

We have now provided a sample letter (Below) which can be copied and sent to the Serbian government.

In addition, we have provided an e mail address for EU Enlargement Commissioner Rehn, and also one for the World Organisation for Animal Health – the OIE, who we think should be made aware of the situation regarding stray animal treatment within Serbia, especially when it relates to non enforcement of animal protection legislation introduced in 2005, and which was recently verified as the legislation which the government should be using, by the Constitutional Court of Serbia.

Hopefully, this and other issues are outlined in the sample letter below.

A block listing of contacts to whom the letter can be sent is given immediately below.

This is an opportunity to inform two major organisations (the EU and the OIE) about the situation for stray animals in Serbia, for the lack of current legislation enforcement by the Serbian government, and finally regarding possible attempts to once again introduce legislation which will allow strays to be killed after a period of 30 days in a shelter.  This is despite the fact that regardless of existing legislation, strays are being killed on a weekly basis when according to existing legislation, they should be provided with care.

 

SAMPLE LETTER

 

To  Serbian Government

predsednikvladesrbije@gov.rs,

kabinet.zpv@gov.rs,

kabinet.potpredsednika@gov.rs

CC :

office@minpolj.gov.rs

generalni.inspektorat@minpolj.gov.rs

info@ekoplan.gov.rs

goran.milosev@minpolj.gov.rs

zoran.marinkovic@minpolj.gov.rs

zoran.micovic@minpolj.gov.rs

Media :

redakcija@blic.co.rs

redakcija@politika.co.rs

redakcija@kurir-info.co.rs

redakcija@glas-javnosti.co.rs

redakcija@novosti.rs

antigona.andonov@b92.net

Commissioner Rehn – EU:

cab-rehn-web-feedback@ec.europa.eu

OIE Paris:

oie@oie.int

Block Listing:  Block Listing:

predsednikvladesrbije@gov.rs,  kabinet.zpv@gov.rskabinet.potpredsednika@gov.rsoffice@minpolj.gov.rsgeneralni.inspektorat@minpolj.gov.rsinfo@ekoplan.gov.rsgoran.milosev@minpolj.gov.rszoran.marinkovic@minpolj.gov.rszoran.micovic@minpolj.gov.rscab-rehn-web-feedback@ec.europa.euoie@oie.int

Letter to copy, paste and send.  Please give your name and most importantly, your nationality, at the end where shown.

 

To whom it may concern;

I am writing to express my complete and utter disgust at the situation I have seen at Loznica city pound.

Firstly, I understand that it is a regular occurrence that dogs which are attempting to survive in such squalid conditions at this so-called ‘animal shelter’ are regularly being used as living targets by local hunters.  I have seen the photographic evidence of one small female dog which has been shot through the body with a hunters arrow.

Secondly, the conditions for animals at Loznica ‘shelter’ are a disgrace, especially when you are allegedly providing millions of dinars to make the place more suitable for animals.  One has to ask where exactly this money is really going – maybe into the pockets of Serbian politicians rather than animal welfare.

Members of the Serbian parliament who represent Loznica always speak against stray dogs whenever they have the opportunity.  They never speak out about the irresponsible animal owners of Loznica; those people who care nothing about their animals, who  turn them out on the street every day, to mate with other animals, the same owners who make no attempt to get their animal(s) sterilised; something which would very rapidly reduce the numbers of strays on the streets if only this were to happen.  Progress in reducing stray animal numbers needs to be obtained through education and a sterilisation programme, and responsible pet ownership.  Serbia does not appear to be moving in any direction with any of these programmes at the moment – apart that is, from its endless and pointless stray killing attitude, which will never significantly reduce stray animal numbers in the long term.

The Serbian media continue to use a language of nothing but hate against stray animals.  But the media does very little to analyse what has been continuously stated by animal welfare organisations regarding a national sterilisation, vaccination and identification programme to reduce stray numbers long term.  Where the money which is currently being used for rounding up and killing a small percentage of strays, it could and should be diverted to instead be used to sterilise, vaccinate and identify treated strays on the streets; strays which are identified as having been sterilised and which are of no ‘threat’ to increasing stray animal populations.

Shinters (dog catchers) need to be educated to ignore animals which are identified as being sterilised, rather than simply going on their killer mindset frenzy of wiping out every animal which they come across.

Where exactly is all the money for the shelters and for animal control programmes actually going ? – could it instead be being siphoned off into the pockets of politicians ? – food for thought and certainly the views of Serbian animal campaigners who see very little progress in the standards of personnel (shinters) and the conditions of animal shelters across Serbia.

Sterilised animals do not produce offspring; but neither the Serbian government or the Serbian media appear to understand this basic fact of nature.  Money needs to be put into a sterilisation programme, not a continual killing programme which kills some strays but allows other non-sterilised animals to reproduce and effectively, continue replacing the numbers of animals which have recently been caught and killed by an archaic and very uneducated regime.

Serbian animal activists have much proof of animal abuses and have asked for the intervention of the Serbian government in agreement with the obligation (of the government) which is defined in Article 192 of the Serbian Constitution, and also Article 8 of the Law of Government.  Despite their requests to the Serbian government, these citizens of Serbia are being ignored.  So what can be said about the rights of Serbian citizens when they are ignored by their own government, despite there being legal obligations which the government should adhere to ?

I am sending a copy of this letter to the EU Enlargement Commissioner, Mr. Olli Rehn; to inform him that in no way is Serbia currently in a position to be accepted into the EU.  It is clear from the situations at Loznica alone, regardless of any other Serbian cities and their approach to stray animal control procedures, that you as a government are not enforcing your own rule of law, a fundamental requirement for membership of the EU.  An additional copy of this letter is being forwarded to the OIE, Paris, to inform them of the animal abuses and non-compliance with the existing animal protection legislation in Serbia.  Legislation which the government would appear to be ignoring and dismissing.

Instead, you continue to allow local authorities to work using the old, outdated and illegal legislation of Pravilnik 29/94; legislation which has since 2005 been overwritten by Article 168, the Serbian Veterinary Law of 02/10/2005.

Local authorities across Serbia are using Pravilnik 29/94 to continue killing animals held in pounds after 3-7 days when in fact they should now, and from late 2005, have been using the new Veterinary Law Article 168 which demands the care of animals, not the killing.

This has recently been verified to Serbian animal campaigners by the Constitutional Court of Serbia.  Proof of this can be provided if requested, either by the Serbian government, the EU Enlargement commission, or the OIE for animal health in Paris.

You, as the Serbian government, are not enforcing the current veterinary law to proterct animals.  Instead, you are continuing to use old and now illegal legislation for the killing of animals.  This is not acceptable and the EU Commissioner is now going to be informed that the Serbian government cannot enforce ‘the rule of law’ as required to be shown for EU membership.

Although as a government you should be fully aware of national legislation, but obviously you are not, I will have to make it clear to you:

Pravilnik 29/94 became nonexistent on 02/10/2005 when it was replaced by the new veterinary law Article 168 which demands the care of animals, not the killing.

Also, I now understand that authorities have started discussions at a meeting in Negotin; where these authorities have plans to introduce a new version of the old and illegal Pravilnik 29/94, which returns back to allowing animal killings after 30 days of being held in a shelter.

There would be not law for the care of animals under this new regime, simply a policy of kill, kill, kill.

I guess the reason for this new kill policy is because shinters, veterinarians and many politicians all take money from the public purse by being involved with an animal killing strategy.  You obviously wish to keep these advocates of animal killing funded from the public purse, so you are possibly going to introduce new legislation (the new Pravilnik 29/94) to ensure that this continues to happen.  Public money for continued killing with no real long term programme to reduce animal numbers by other methods – this is what the Negotin discussions are aimed at.

This discussion has started in the city of Bor; the city where over 1,000 bodies of illegally killed animals have been left on the city dump, and also where live animals are left on the dump wrapped in plastic bags to suffer a long and terrible death.

Again, we have the evidence and can provide photographs to any parties who request them.

Conclusion:

The Serbian government is not enforcing new (2005) national legislation to protect animals,

The Serbian government are not enforcing the law of the Serbian government,

the law for public competition,

The Serbian government are not enforcing the Criminal Code,

The Serbian government are not enforcing the verdict of the Constitutional Court of Serbia, or enforcing the Serbian Constitution,

In summary, there is no enforcement of the Serbian ‘rule of law’ and as such, I consider that you as a nation are not elegible for membership of the EU until you show positive changes with regard each and every one of these areas.

Both Commissioner Rehn at the EU and the OIE Paris will be provided with a copy of this mail.

Yours,

 

Name: 

Nationality:

 ———————————————————————–

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Uk (England): Further Photo – James Gray – Horse Trader on the Run.

This is a recent picture of James Gray – if you see him please contact:

Thames Valley Police or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111

RSPCA direct (press office) on 0300 123 0244 or 0288

Further information and other photograph:

https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2010/05/12/uk-england-horse-trader-james-gray-on-the-run-as-appeal-against-sentence-fails/?preview=true&preview_id=8053&preview_nonce=6218ffd543

Serbia: Loznica City ‘Shelter’ – Captured Stray Dogs Used For Target Practice by Local Hunters – SAMPLE PROTEST LETTER INCLUDED

 

 

 

 

FEEL FREE TO CROSSPOST 

The little female dog which you can see here lives in Loznica city pound in Serbia.

 

 

There are many dogs which live in this shelter.  Each month, many dogs are killed by local hunters who appear to be using them as living targets.

Members of the Serbian parliament who represent Loznica always speak against stray dogs whenever they have the opportunity.  They never speak out about the irresponsible owners; those who care nothing about their animals and do not get them sterilised; thus continuing to add further to the stray animal numbers when they reproduce.

These same members of the parliament ask for all stray dogs to be killed.

Rather than being a representative of the constituency they represent, Loznica politicians appear to be going out of their way to spread bad news about stray animals throughout the Serbian parliament.  Their basic stance is ‘hate animals’ !

Spreading hate through the parliament about sentient creatures is not civilised and it should definitely not be the work of politicians – has Serbia not seen enough hate by humans in the last 20 years to now carry on with this attitude ? – they really should move away from spreading hate, and move into the 21st Century.

When Serbian animal activists brought a criminal charge about this issue, hunter ‘training’ on shelter animals was stopped for around two to three weeks.  Because the police have done nothing further and the city inspectors have not acted as a result of the charge, things appear to be going back to how they were – hunters using shelter animals as targets; a kind of ‘canned hunting’.

Public garbage firms who are responsible for the catching of stray animals throughout Serbia are given millions from the public purse.  Cats and dogs are continually caught – cats are killed immediately and the dogs are thrown into so called ‘shelters’ before they are taken away and killed.

See our post at

https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2010/05/11/serbia-loznica-city-pound-3-million-dinars-for-what-certainly-not-for-animal-welfare-politicians-maybe/  

for an example of what the alleged ‘shelter’ at Loznica city pound is like.

Maybe some of these animals have now been killed by being used as living targets by the local hunters.

Below is a sample letter relating to this case and the non enforcement of serbian national legislation for strays since 2005.  Legislation which the government are now attempting to overturn in order that they can legally continue to kill strays, even though they have been committing illegal activities by doing this since 2005.  You can copy this sample letter and send to the Serbian government, the EU Enlargement Commissioner, and also to the OIE for World animal health, who are based in Paris.  Full contact listings are given in the details (sample letter) below.

SAMPLE LETTER **  SAMPLE LETTER ** 

To  Serbian Government ;

predsednikvladesrbije@gov.rs,

kabinet.zpv@gov.rs,

kabinet.potpredsednika@gov.rs

CC :

office@minpolj.gov.rs

generalni.inspektorat@minpolj.gov.rs

info@ekoplan.gov.rs

goran.milosev@minpolj.gov.rs

zoran.marinkovic@minpolj.gov.rs

zoran.micovic@minpolj.gov.rs

Media :

redakcija@blic.co.rs

redakcija@politika.co.rs

redakcija@kurir-info.co.rs

redakcija@glas-javnosti.co.rs

redakcija@novosti.rs

antigona.andonov@b92.net

Commissioner Rehn – EU:

cab-rehn-web-feedback@ec.europa.eu

OIE Paris:

oie@oie.int

Block Listing of above:

predsednikvladesrbije@gov.rs,  kabinet.zpv@gov.rskabinet.potpredsednika@gov.rsoffice@minpolj.gov.rsgeneralni.inspektorat@minpolj.gov.rsinfo@ekoplan.gov.rsgoran.milosev@minpolj.gov.rszoran.marinkovic@minpolj.gov.rszoran.micovic@minpolj.gov.rscab-rehn-web-feedback@ec.europa.euoie@oie.int

 ——————————

LETTER to copy and send – 

 

To whom it may concern;

I am writing to express my complete and utter disgust at the situation I have seen at Loznica city pound.

Firstly, I understand that it is a regular occurrence that dogs which are attempting to survive in such squalid conditions at this so-called ‘animal shelter’ are regularly being used as living targets by local hunters.  I have seen the photographic evidence of one small female dog which has been shot through the body with a hunters arrow.

Secondly, the conditions for animals at Loznica ‘shelter’ are a disgrace, especially when you are allegedly providing millions of dinars to make the place more suitable for animals.  One has to ask where exactly this money is really going – maybe into the pockets of Serbian politicians rather than animal welfare.

Members of the Serbian parliament who represent Loznica always speak against stray dogs whenever they have the opportunity.  They never speak out about the irresponsible animal owners of Loznica; those people who care nothing about their animals, who  turn them out on the street every day, to mate with other animals, the same owners who make no attempt to get their animal(s) sterilised; something which would very rapidly reduce the numbers of strays on the streets if only this were to happen.  Progress in reducing stray animal numbers needs to be obtained through education and a sterilisation programme, and responsible pet ownership.  Serbia does not appear to be moving in any direction with any of these programmes at the moment – apart that is, from its endless and pointless stray killing attitude, which will never significantly reduce stray animal numbers in the long term.

The Serbian media continue to use a language of nothing but hate against stray animals.  But the media does very little to analyse what has been continuously stated by animal welfare organisations regarding a national sterilisation, vaccination and identification programme to reduce stray numbers long term.  Where the money which is currently being used for rounding up and killing a small percentage of strays, it could and should be diverted to instead be used to sterilise, vaccinate and identify treated strays on the streets; strays which are identified as having been sterilised and which are of no ‘threat’ to increasing stray animal populations.

Shinters (dog catchers) need to be educated to ignore animals which are identified as being sterilised, rather than simply going on their killer mindset frenzy of wiping out every animal which they come across.

Where exactly is all the money for the shelters and for animal control programmes actually going ? – could it instead be being siphoned off into the pockets of politicians ? – food for thought and certainly the views of Serbian animal campaigners who see very little progress in the standards of personnel (shinters) and the conditions of animal shelters across Serbia.

Sterilised animals do not produce offspring; but neither the Serbian government or the Serbian media appear to understand this basic fact of nature.  Money needs to be put into a sterilisation programme, not a continual killing programme which kills some strays but allows other non-sterilised animals to reproduce and effectively, continue replacing the numbers of animals which have recently been caught and killed by an archaic and very uneducated regime.

Serbian animal activists have much proof of animal abuses and have asked for the intervention of the Serbian government in agreement with the obligation (of the government) which is defined in Article 192 of the Serbian Constitution, and also Article 8 of the Law of Government.  Despite their requests to the Serbian government, these citizens of Serbia are being ignored.  So what can be said about the rights of Serbian citizens when they are ignored by their own government, despite there being legal obligations which the government should adhere to ?

I am sending a copy of this letter to the EU Enlargement Commissioner, Mr. Olli Rehn; to inform him that in no way is Serbia currently in a position to be accepted into the EU.  It is clear from the situations at Loznica alone, regardless of any other Serbian cities and their approach to stray animal control procedures, that you as a government are not enforcing your own rule of law, a fundamental requirement for membership of the EU.  An additional copy of this letter is being forwarded to the OIE, Paris, to inform them of the animal abuses and non-compliance with the existing animal protection legislation in Serbia.  Legislation which the government would appear to be ignoring and dismissing.

Instead, you continue to allow local authorities to work using the old, outdated and illegal legislation of Pravilnik 29/94; legislation which has since 2005 been overwritten by Article 168, the Serbian Veterinary Law of 02/10/2005.

Local authorities across Serbia are using Pravilnik 29/94 to continue killing animals held in pounds after 3-7 days when in fact they should now, and from late 2005, have been using the new Veterinary Law Article 168 which demands the care of animals, not the killing.

This has recently been verified to Serbian animal campaigners by the Constitutional Court of Serbia.  Proof of this can be provided if requested, either by the Serbian government, the EU Enlargement commission, or the OIE for animal health in Paris.

You, as the Serbian government, are not enforcing the current veterinary law to proterct animals.  Instead, you are continuing to use old and now illegal legislation for the killing of animals.  This is not acceptable and the EU Commissioner is now going to be informed that the Serbian government cannot enforce ‘the rule of law’ as required to be shown for EU membership.

Although as a government you should be fully aware of national legislation, but obviously you are not, I will have to make it clear to you:

Pravilnik 29/94 became nonexistent on 02/10/2005 when it was replaced by the new veterinary law Article 168 which demands the care of animals, not the killing.

Also, I now understand that authorities have started discussions at a meeting in Negotin; where these authorities have plans to introduce a new version of the old and illegal Pravilnik 29/94, which returns back to allowing animal killings after 30 days of being held in a shelter.

There would be not law for the care of animals under this new regime, simply a policy of kill, kill, kill.

I guess the reason for this new kill policy is because shinters, veterinarians and many politicians all take money from the public purse by being involved with an animal killing strategy.  You obviously wish to keep these advocates of animal killing funded from the public purse, so you are possibly going to introduce new legislation (the new Pravilnik 29/94) to ensure that this continues to happen.  Public money for continued killing with no real long term programme to reduce animal numbers by other methods – this is what the Negotin discussions are aimed at.

This discussion has started in the city of Bor; the city where over 1,000 bodies of illegally killed animals have been left on the city dump, and also where live animals are left on the dump wrapped in plastic bags to suffer a long and terrible death.

Again, we have the evidence and can provide photographs to any parties who request them.

Conclusion:

The Serbian government is not enforcing new (2005) national legislation to protect animals,

The Serbian government are not enforcing the law of the Serbian government,

the law for public competition,

The Serbian government are not enforcing the Criminal Code,

The Serbian government are not enforcing the verdict of the Constitutional Court of Serbia, or enforcing the Serbian Constitution,

In summary, there is no enforcement of the Serbian ‘rule of law’ and as such, I consider that you as a nation are not elegible for membership of the EU until you show positive changes with regard each and every one of these areas.

Both Commissioner Rehn at the EU and the OIE Paris will be provided with a copy of this mail.

Yours,

Your Name: 

Your Nationality:

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 After surgery to remove the arrow, the dog has started to recover from her abuse and injuries.

 

 

She is a lucky one – many others are not. 

These pictures show the reality of Serbian shelters in 2010 and this outlines the COMPLETE LACK OF CONCERN from a Serbian government in 2010  !!