Posted on April 17, 2015 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
Well things have got off a truly brilliant start – thank you to everyone who has given; big or small donations – they all add up !!.
Please also remember that there are dozens of other small animal shelters throughout Serbia doing what they can to help animals in distress and need.
We try to sometimes show the odd appeal on this (SAV) site; but if you sign up to Facebook ‘Serbian Animals Voice’ then you can see all the works and efforts made by these other shelters.
It costs nothing and is very easy to become a member.
We currently have1,157 members; but are always happy to get a lot more !
Fingers crossed this link below will take you to the site where you can see some of the work by all these small groups who are calling for help.
Excellent people; excellent causes – they just need some help in reaching their dreams.
Filed under: Animals Requiring Adoption or Homes - Worldwide, CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, SERBIA (Central Serbia: Capital - Belgrade) and (Serbia, SHELTER - Information, The "Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) ALLIANCE | Leave a comment »
Posted on April 16, 2015 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
SAV – we are just putting this out quickly tonight; but will tidy the appeal up tomorrow. Please give anything you can – thank you.
Please share and help if you can!
Our debt at the vet’s is up around 400 euros already and will get larger as the additional cost of de-worming and de-fleaing all of the shelter kitties is awaiting us next week. The even more serious problems are our expenses for food (which are always high) are becoming literally frighteningly high during the transitional season, when the temperature differences between day and night are vast and even the toughest kitties easily get sick if they’re not fed properly and abundantly.
Honestly, we don’t feel comfortable asking for help over and over again but the truth is we can’t do much without your support. Is there anything more heartwarming than the sight of content, happy kitties which don’t have to wonder where their next meal will come from? All of the Felix cats know what hunger feels like, they’re all familiar with neglect and the danger of life on the streets and when they found their safe haven, their first and only home, can we possibly all gather together to provide them with what they need most?
If you’re able to donate any amount please do so, as everything adds up and keeps these wonderful creatures’ eyes bright and their purrs loud! If you’re ever questioned if and how much the kitties appreciate your kindness and generosity, just look at them!
As to us, their staff, we are grateful beyond words for all of the help we get!
Filed under: Animals Requiring Adoption or Homes - Worldwide, CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, SERBIA (Central Serbia: Capital - Belgrade) and (Serbia, SHELTER - Information, The "Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) ALLIANCE | Leave a comment »
Posted on April 15, 2015 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
We send our best wishes to Danica as we know she has not been feeling very well recently; the days are long and tiring for her looking after all the cats – and as you can see from the photos below; they are all looking so beautiful and content.
Quite rightly, Danica must be very proud of them all.
Here is part of the message she has sent to us this week – please help with a donation if you can – whatever amount – it all helps !
Pay a visit to the Webshop – link given below – and see the whole range of fab cat items which you can purchase; and support the shelter at the same time !
Thank You.
Felix Shelter Donations can be made in any of the following ways:
PayPal button is on our blog:
and our website:
Webshop:
Dinarske uplate: Felix-Felinolosko drustvo 355-1070729-96
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Dear Mark;
We’ve been quite lucky weather wise this winter after all, but some of our oldest and sickest kitties sadly didn’t make it through the cold season. Winter is always a time of troubles, losses and grief, it somehow seems the most delicate cats simply can’t endure the dark, gloomy months, depressing for them and ourselves alike.
The biggest problem of running a cat sanctuary is exactly the fact that we provide all of the rescued cats with a lifetime of care, which means we’re here to offer them everything they need until the end of their days and when the time comes, we tearfully pet them for the last time and say our final goodbyes.
Our hearts have been broken countless times so far, but we must go on…
Right now some days are sunny, some are not, but even when the weather is nice the sun is deceiving and although the kitties enjoy spending their time outside during the day, all of them sleep in their properly heated rooms at night.
Luckily, thanks to all of our donors and friends, we’ll be able to keep the central heating running for as long as it’s needed.
Many kitties are shedding these days and looking shaggy and unkempt, some of them have lost some weight, but now when the real spring has finally come we’ll do everything in our power to help them thrive again.
The weather forecast is somewhat worrisome, it’s supposed to rain heavily in May and although the kitties won’t be cold, we all hope to avoid the horrible floods we had last year. Cat Shelter Felix wasn’t affected then, but no one can know what the future can bring…
We greatly appreciate your support!
To Everybody – Thank you so much for being there for us!
Sincerely
Danica
Filed under: Animals Requiring Adoption or Homes - Worldwide, CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, SERBIA (Central Serbia: Capital - Belgrade) and (Serbia, SHELTER - Information, SUPPORTERS, The "Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) ALLIANCE | Leave a comment »
Posted on April 9, 2015 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
Our original post which include copies of our and Keith Taylor’s letters to Commissioner Hahn.
The EU Enlargement Commission is quick enough to hand out hundreds of millions of Euros to Serbia every year – paid for by, yes you have guessed it – us existing EU citizens; and yet they cannot even send a reply to us EU citizens who write if February to express their concerns about a lack of EU (Enlargement Commission) action in dialogue with the Serbian government about Serbian animal ‘welfare’; or is it ‘mafia’ ??
Any wonder most people in the UK want to pull the plug on the EU !
UK elections in May 2015 – the people will decide if the EU is as good as what it thinks it is.
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Today 9/4/2015; we made several telephone calls to the EU Enlargement Commission to ask why we have still not been supplied with a response from the EU regarding our letter dated 22nd February.
After much ‘please wait’ and being put on hold; we were eventually verbally informed that nothing has actually been sent back to us at SAV by the EU Enlargement Commission. This is despite the fact that the Serbian government are currently drafting new legislation which will allow it to kill stray animals in much less time than it currently does.
The Serbian government intend to have this new legislation passed by the end of May 2015; despite many objections and documented submissions by Serbian animal welfare organisations.
Given that the EU Enlargement Commission is dragging its heels on the subject of animal welfare within Serbia; despite our evidence and letters; and more importantly; current attempts by the Serbian government to ‘sneak through’ new legislation by the end of May to make the killing of stray animals easier; we now have no choice after today’s fiasco at the EU Enlargement Commission; but to now produce a letter which can be sent to Commissioner Hahn at the EU.
We trust the letter says all that needs to be said. If the Enlargement Commission had acted and replied to us when it should have, there would be no need for all of this. But the EU has got lost once again with its own importance which it appears to doing very little to actually enforce the ‘rule of law’ within Serbia as it says it will prior to EU accession into the EU.
Please copy and send the following letter to the Commissioner who appears to be failing the animals of Serbia. Thank you.
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SAMPLE LETTER – or modify to your own standard.
Send to:
Dear Commissioner Hahn;
I write to you as a member of ‘Serbian Animals Voice’ (SAV) which is based in England UK.
As of today, 9/4/15; I am informed by your very own Commission that it has not yet even responded to SAV regarding their letter to you of 22/2/15 and the situation of animals within Serbia. As SAV is an EU (UK) based orgaisation dedicated to Serbian animal welfare; there concerns should at least be addressed by un-elected EU politicians such as yourself.
I would like to remind you that the EU is investing millions of Euros into pre –accession funding for Serbia – for example – €208.3 million for the year 2013 alone;
In the words of the site given above – “The pre-accession funds also help the EU reach its own objectives regarding a sustainable economic recovery, energy supply, transport, the environment and climate change, etc”.
Does the EU citizen not have any say in how all ‘their’ money is being spent by you ? – it would appear not. You Sir are not even addressing letters of concern regards Serbian animal by EU animal welfare organisations such as SAV !
The document – INSTRUMENT FOR PRE-ACCESSION ASSISTANCE (IPA II)
declares the following:
“8.2. Objectives, results, actions and indicators
The objective of EU assistance is to support gradual alignment of the Serbian agricultural policy with the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP),. The expected results are the following:
Veterinary and phytosanitary services and controls are implemented in line with the EU requirements; and,
Animal health is improved through eradication of diseases and/or better control of brucellosis, bovine leucosis and tuberculosis, rabies and classical swine fever”.
Thus, as SAV to date have had no response from your Commission relating to their letter of 22nd February 2015, regarding the issue of Serbian animal welfare; and the above statements by the EU on ‘improving (Serbian) animal health’; what now needs to be questioned is it currently appears that the Serbian government is devising new (and quick to be passed – May 2015 ?) legislation for stray dogs which will allow them to be killed in less time than existing Serbian legislation allows.
Thus it can only be assumed that despite the words made in the EU documentation (links provided); either the EU Commission does not actually care about the welfare of animals within Serbia; and combined with the complete lack of information which your Commission are providing to existing EU and other global citizens on this iissue, it can only be assumed that you are showing no real opposition to the new proposals being made by the Serbian government for the welfare of stray animals.
The things that have been witnessed in Romania over the last few years regarding stray animal treatment has been a complete and utter embarrassment to the EU. Tell me please; is the Enlargement Commission prepared to have a ‘Romania 2’ by not putting pressure on the Serbian government to drop the new proposals; and instead adopt a national policy of stray animal sterilisation combined with much better public education ? – or are you content with witnessing the abuses shown everyday in Serbia over the last 10 years or more by organisations such as SAV, and the animal killings by the ‘animal mafia’, for which I include local and regional authorities ?
You Sir need to act and act very quickly to stop animal suffering in Serbia. The current Serbian government is currently attempting to change the law for the negative for Serbian strays; something it hopes to finalise by the end of May 2015.
You, as the EU citizens un-elected head of the EU Enlargement Commission are responsible for ensuring that Serbia adopts the standards of the EU; not for letting the Serbian government make up and devise new animal welfare legislation which could be passed within weeks simply to the benefit of the Serbian government and the animal mafia operating throughout Serbia; very much to the detriment of Serbian animals and their welfare.
I will hold you and your team personally responsible if Serbia is allowed to once again ‘get away’ with making false promises to the EU regarding animal welfare improvements – in Serbia there are no animal welfare improvements; there have been just indiscriminate killings of many animals which do not conform with existing Serbian legislation – “the rule of law” which the EU is so very keen to promote in so much of its documented publicity.
Please; for once, get the Serbian government to enforce the ‘rule of law’ as determined by the Serbian Constitutional Court back in 2005; and do not allow yourself to be bribed into a ‘Romania 2’ by the Serbian government and authorities with their new ‘quick fix’ legislation for stray animals.
I will be watching your Commissions actions very closely over the next month or more regarding the new animal welfare proposals currently being formatted by the Serbian government. Inn no way should these be allowed to progress any further; and I hold you and your ‘Serbian team’ responsible for ensuring that this does not happen.
The EU should be improving animal welfare, not being dragged down by new legislation from nations who wish to join the EU; take all the money, and yet continue to kill stray animals regardless of the Serbian ‘rule of law’; just like they have done for so many years regardless of the national ‘rules of law’ which were supposedly approved by the Serbian Constitutional Court back in 2005.
Links:
Please ensure that the SAV letter of February 2015 IS responded to; before the new legislation is sneaked through the back door by the Serbian government – thank you.
Yours truly,
Name and nationality.
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Filed under: CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, LETTERS, SERBIA (Central Serbia: Capital - Belgrade) and (Serbia, The "Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) ALLIANCE | Leave a comment »
Posted on April 2, 2015 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
We are all familiar with the excellent work of Sasha and his dog shelter in Serbia – most of you took part in the recent campaign to save his facility – Please note that everything is fine now and any petitions and campaign organised in the recent past have stopped:
Vesna here in London has been in contact with ‘Harmony Fund’ – and they are fully aware of, and keeping track of the current proposal situation for stray animals within Serbia as we are.
What we are hoping is, that the Serbian government will allow the public decision making process to take place so that this matter can be dealt with as laid down in the law. Let us all stand by for their next move which they said will be happening in April and which they were planning to finish (the proposal) in May!
We have to continue to put the global pressure on the decision makers and not let another Romania happen all over again. To ensure that we don’t have a ‘Romania 2’ regarding the abuses of stray dogs and cats; we are keeping the EU Enlargement Commission aware of what is happening; even though they are not bothering to contact us.
Watch dog rescuer Sasha Pesic (the same Sasha from the shelter above) scale the column of a bridge to reach a frightened dog stranded on an icy riverbank.
Scroll down a little more and you will see ways in which you can donate to Harmony Fund to help the animals in Serbia.
Enjoy the video – which has a good ending !!
Above – Sasha’s Shelter Dogs Say Thank You for All the Help They Have Had from You !
Filed under: Animals Requiring Adoption or Homes - Worldwide, CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, SHELTER - Information, The "Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) ALLIANCE, VIDEOS | Leave a comment »
Posted on March 31, 2015 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
UPDATE – April 2015.
We have been joining our Serbian animal campaigner colleagues for several years now in what seems a never ending battle with the authorities to improve the treatment of Serbian stray animals; and most importantly; control and reduce stray (street) animal numbers by using a properly orchestrated ‘no kill’ strategy.
Please click on the following link below to read and see the situation for Serbian stray animals; and what we have undertaken in recent years to try and improve their lives. The EU also has big responsibilities on this issue which it is NOT addressing. Now more than ever (early 2015); we need EU wide legislation on a ‘NO Kill’ stray dog management and control programme. With something in place such as this; nations already in the EU, such as Romania; and nations seeking EU membership, such as Serbia, would then be obliged by EU law to enforce the EU wide regulations, rather than making up or simply ignoring their own national legislation / rules as they are doing at present.
Link – ‘About Serbian Strays’ – https://serbiananimalsvoice.com/about-serbian-animals/
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Update 1/4/15 – Very soon we aim to provide a sample letter on this site (written in both Serbian and English); which you will be able to copy and send to the Serbian ministers and government regarding this issue. We will provide the sample letter and also all the e mail addresses.
You only need to copy and send to help us with the campaign !
We are currently working on this and will provide the information on this site (and SAV Facebook) in the near future.
This is being given priority over other issues at present. – SAV.
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Petition links (English and Serbian):
Dear friends,
Last week, a draft version of Ministry of Agriculture working group’s proposals for the amendments to the existing Animal Welfare Act in Serbia has leaked on the social media.
It introduced the concept of “quarantine for a lost and abandoned animals,” which lasts 15 days, after which the animals can be “killed humanely.”
We believe that the amendments to the Law which was never fully implemented are counter-productive and unacceptable and that in no way it will solve the problem of abandoned animals with killing thousands of healthy animals.
This process should include representatives of civil society from the beginning, as enforced by the “Guidelines for the involvement of civil society in the process of adopting regulations” adopted by the Government of the Republic of Serbia on 26 August 2014.
If these amendments get accepted it would allow dog catchers to kill all dogs that have no individual owner, within 15 days of catching them.
This is to include all dogs and cats in PRIVATE shelters, even those who have been offered homes.
We believe the Government of Serbia is using this amendment to try and quickly ‘clean-up’ the streets of Serbia to make them look more favourable as candidates for EU membership.
They keep forgetting that they have other methods of actually successful stray animal population management that is not detrimental to animals.
What could be the reasons you might ask yourselves – well the obvious reason for this new kill policy is because dogcatchers, local government officials, veterinarians and many politicians, all take money from the public purse by being involved with an animal killing strategy.
So the public money is continuously being used for killing with no real long term programme to reduce animal numbers by other methods.
We join other animal welfare associations and organisations in support for Serbia to lead the way in animal welfare.
They can do this by setting up country-wide Catch, Neuter, Release (CNR) programmes. Using the government facilities of dog catchers and pound vet facilities, this approach could help Serbia get its stray population under control humanely.
We are all aware that the unpunished culture of owners letting unneutered pets roam free has created this problem.
Killing 80,000 innocent animals WILL NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
However, sadly the new amendment don’t just stop at the stray animal population but also deal with experimental, food chain, hunting/wild animals and the amendments are far from favourable for all those sentient beings.
This is why we have to act and be their voice NOW!
We call Serbian government to LEAD THE WAY TO A COMPASSIONATE, SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION!
Please sign this petition and share it widely to raise the awareness of this urgent situation in Balkans so that Europe and the world doesn’t get another Romania.
Also let us support the College of Agriculture students who have organised a peaceful protest against the proposed killings on 4th April 12noon in Belgrade.
Petition links (English and Serbian):
Filed under: CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, DOCUMENTS, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, GLOBAL PETITIONS - Anything Animal, Anywhere !, PHOTOGRAPHS - **WARNING** (Animal Suffering), SERBIA (Central Serbia: Capital - Belgrade) and (Serbia, SHINTERS (Dog catchers), The "Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) ALLIANCE | Leave a comment »
Posted on March 31, 2015 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
4 Pet First Aid Essentials to Know Before an Emergency
by Susan Bird
April is “National Pet First Aid Month.”
If your pet suddenly experienced a medical emergency or needed some quick medical care, would you know how to handle it?
Here are some basics that will help all pet guardians be prepared to help animals in trouble:
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Have the Right Supplies Ready
It’s imperative to have certain necessities immediately at hand in case your animal friend suddenly needs your help. Create an animal first aid kit that contains at least these things:
Emergency contact information: Always keep handy the phone numbers for your veterinarian, a nearby emergency after-hours veterinarian, and (for USA only) the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center (1-888-426-4435; note that there is a fee associated with this call). You don’t want to be scrambling to find these numbers when you need them.
Muzzle: Injured dogs often bite. Have an easy slip-on muzzle available. If you don’t have one, you can substitute strips of cloth, a necktie, a dish towel, a knee sock or any number of other soft fabric items. You may need to restrain a cat in a towel or pillow case, but be sure its nose is free to breathe. Never muzzle a vomiting animal, of course.
Bandages and Gauze: You’ll need the non-stick kind, not the adhesive bandages you use on yourself when you cut your finger. Try to find the self-cling kind at a pet supply store. If you don’t have any, you can use strips cut from towels or other fabrics.
Poison response supplies: Activated charcoal, hydrogen peroxide (3 percent) or milk of magnesia might mean the difference between life and death if your pet swallows something poisonous. Always contact a veterinarian for guidance before attempting to administer a treatment for poison or inducing vomiting.
Digital thermometer: Buy a pet thermometer. A regular human thermometer won’t do, because animal temperatures run higher than ours. A dog’s normal temperature ranges from 100.5 and 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit, for example. Remember to take a temperature rectally, not by mouth. Lubricate with petroleum jelly first.
Also keep on hand things like antiseptic wipes, disposable non-latex gloves, adhesive tape, a foil emergency blanket, tweezers, blunt-end scissors, ice packs, a leash, a pet carrier, an eye dropper, and a plastic non-needle syringe for administering oral medication, and towels. Know where your pet’s medical records are.
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Know How to Safely Handle an Injured Animal
First, remain calm. Breathe and think clearly. If you are frantic, your pet will know that and become more fearful himself.
If your dog is in a lot of pain and not vomiting, muzzle him. Yes, he’s your buddy, but pain and fear may make him snap at you nevertheless. If he’s been injured in a fight or other aggressive setting, he may still be amped up. Don’t put your face close to your injured pet and don’t hug him or her — it might hurt.
Don’t move an injured pet before checking him or her to determine what sort of injury he may have sustained. You may need to splint a broken bone or stanch some bleeding before you can transport him to your veterinarian’s office.
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Basic Procedures To Learn Before Emergency Strikes
If you can, take a course from a knowledgeable source like the Red Cross about how to help your pet in an emergency. Learn how to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on your dog or cat. Understand how to treat electrical shock or to care for injuries to the eye, feet and ears. Understand how to react in urgent care situations. When seconds count, you don’t want to be fumbling around, unsure of what to do.
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Let Technology Assist You
Your smartphone can be your best ally in a pet medical emergency. Download the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control mobile app or the Red Cross Pet First Aid app. Both offer substantial information that might mean the difference between life and death in an emergency.
Just as you should have plans in place for your family in the event of a fire or natural disaster, you need to pre-plan for a medical emergency for your furry family members. It’s the obligation of every pet guardian to know what to do at a moment’s notice when your companion animal is in trouble.
Are you ready?
Filed under: GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, The "Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) ALLIANCE | Leave a comment »
Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) 