We are going to share with you some great news and pictures from the shelters of both Jelena and Slavica.

First, Jelena:

We received New Year greetings from our ‘Olive’ who is now in Austria !

Olive says hello to her new owner

 Olive all wrapped up ready for Christmas

‘Bane’ who is now in Austria

Bane at home in the warm

Bane enjoying the snow in Austria

And now Slavica:

This is ‘Bundas’ who was left at the shelter.

Bundas was dumped by his owner who did not want him any more.  Bundas is a very kind and sweet dog who was very sad when his owner was gone, despite what his owner had done by dumping him.

Bundas is very welcome to EPAR shelter, we love him very much.

Bundas at the Shelter

This is ‘Aki’, a very kind and sweet female, and her new owner.  They will live in Subotica.  We will  visit them  after 3-6 months to ensure that everything is going ok.  The lady (new owner) has signed a contract to say that she will provide care for Aki.

Aki with her loving new owner

Here are pictures of ‘Agnes’. 

Pictures of Agnes on arrival at EPAR Shelter

Agnes arrived at the EPAR shelter from Belgrade, where he had lived on the streets.  Agnes was named after the lady (Mrs. Strugar) who with her husband Llija, gave care to as many street dogs as possible.

Mrs. Strugar asked EPAR if they could take two dogs which they were caring for, Agnes being one, and the other dog who is not named, is so very scared that he spends most of his time currently at the EPAr shelter in his wooden house.  It is not possible to show a photo at the moment of this dog, as he eats and drinks in his little wooden house, and because he was beaten with a shovel whilst living on the streets of Belgrade, naturally he is very scared of people and what could happen to him.

Mrs. Strugar has been described as an Angel in Belgrade, as she rescues as many little puppies as she can find from the garbage containers on the streets when people have just dumped their dogs into them.  For several weeks at the start of their ‘meeting’, Mrs. Strugar started to give some food to both agnes and the other dog now at EPAR shelter, building up their confidence in people.  Once this had been done, Mrs. Strugar was able to help Agnes and the other dog by asking if it was possible for the animals to be taken in by EPAR shelter.  This was agreed on and they were both moved to the shelter.

The EPAR vet provided Agnes with essential vitamins for his coat, and he was given a complete wash to help any skin problems he was having. He now has a big, warm coat to keep him cosy in the winter months.   The other dog, who has now been named ‘Llja’, is also healthy and being cared for, but he is still very wary of people.  He will gradually improve with all the care and love he is getting at EPAR shelter.

Agnes and Llja are now being cared for very much at the EPAR shelter, they have a home to live in, have had medical treatment, and are getting to learn that not all humans want to hurt and kill them.  Some humans want to help and protect them. 

Belgrade is a very dangerous place for all street animals, Agnes and Llja were two lucky dogs who were helped by good people in belgrade, and who brought them all the way to EPAR shelter, Subotica, using their own transport.

Belgrade is a city with many shinters out on the streets looking for animals to capture and kill.  The introduction of a No Kill Sterilisation, vaccination and Microchipping / Identification management programme would ensure that street animals in Belgrade do not have the opportunity to meet with dogs owned by careless owners who turn their own dogs onto the street each day and most importantly, to reproduce and make yet more and more stray dogs which have to be caught and killed by the shinters.

Everyone apart from Senior Serbian Veterinary persons and all those in Serbian Government can see that No Kill Sterilisation is the only sensible way forward to reduce street and stray animal numbers.  So it has to be asked why they in government are still so ignorant and dismissive of the only sensible solution to stray animal management.  We would like them to explain to us why they are so many years behind animal welfare NGO’s on the issue of stray animal control management.

For your information, in recent studies undertaken by the HSUS in the United States of America,

Average number of litters a fertile cat can produce in one year: 3

Average number of kittens in a feline litter: 4-6

Average number of litters a fertile dog can produce in one year: 2

Average number of puppies in a canine litter: 6-10

One unspayed dog and her offspring can lead to 67,000 dogs in six years.

One unspayed cat and her offspring can produce 400,000 cats in seven years.

(Source – The Humane Society of the United States, “HSUS Pet Overpopulation Estimates,” 2004)”.

For Slavic’s EPAR shelter information, including donation information, please access the following SAV links:

 https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2008/12/04/serbia-new-pictures-and-news-from-epar-shelter-subotica/

https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2008/12/13/serbia-apis-story-the-little-dog-who-was-dumped-at-the-epar-shelter-pregnant-and-in-a-coma/

Filed under: GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, SERBIA (Central Serbia: Capital - Belgrade) and (Serbia, SHELTER - Information | Leave a comment »

The following SAV link shows latest news and pictures from the EPAR No Kill shelter, Subotica, Serbia – EPAR is part of the ‘Serbian Animal Voice’ alliance of animal welfare organisations. 

https://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2008/12/04/serbia-new-pictures-and-news-from-epar-shelter-subotica/

Well here we can give you the story of Api and how she arrived at the shelter, and the things that happened thereafter.  Api is now looking for a new loving home where she can enjoy the rest of her life.

This is Api’s Story:

Note:  although we use the name ‘Api’ throughout this story, little Api was not given her name until she recovered from her illness.  We refer to her as ‘Api’ throughout for convenience.

This is the story of ‘Api’, a little female dog who currently lives at the EPAR shelter, Subotica, Serbia.  Early one morning earlier this year, a cardboard box was left outside of the EPAR shelter by persons unknown; this box contained little Api, who although it was not known at the time, was a very sick and ill little dog.

On looking into the box left at the gates, it was immediately seen by shelter workers that Api was unconscious, as there were no signs of life from her and no attempt made by her to get up or even move within the box.   A vet was called by the shelter and he came along immediately to see Api.  His diagnosis was that Api had gone into some form of a coma, the type and origin of which was not known, that she was also pregnant, and that the arrival of the puppies was imminent.

Because of the coma she was in and the chance of causing her an untimely death, the vet declared that Api should not be given any anaestheitc, nor should the pups be delivered by caesarian.   A conservative approach of allowing a purely natural birth was decided on, but an approach for which the outcome was unknown for both the mother and the puppies.

Everyone involved was very concerned about what was going to happen; but to everyones amazement, and despite still being in a coma, Api’s body reacted to the need of her babies and she started to give a natural birth to eight beautiful little puppies.  Due to her coma, Api was still unable to produce milk for the puppies; which is an essential requirement for the youngsters during the first few hours of their lives.

But for many hours things did not improve.  It was heartbreaking for all the shelter staff to witness the deaths of each of the puppies during the next few days, despite all the staffs special efforts to provide food and warmth, love and care to the little dogs; simply to keep them alive.  Despite the deaths of her babies, the shelter still had Api who was clinging on to life.

Over the next two weeks, Api was carefully monitored by the shelter staff, and then, suddenly, one day, Api showed signs that she was coming out of her coma !

At this time, the name Api had not been given to this sweet little dog – she was still simply known as the beautiful little ill one.  Now the survivor could be named – she would be called ‘Api’.

Api gradually became aware of her surroundings, aware of the people who were with her and caring for her during her recovery, and then she decided to have something good to eat, to have a drink of water and to stand up and walk around a little. 

Now everyone at the shelter could see that Api had pulled out of her coma and that for the first time, there was real hope amongst everyone that little Api was going to survive her ordeal.

During the time that Api was very ill in her coma and fighting for every minute of her life, an evil man managed at one time to get into the shelter and record all of Api’s suffering and pain during her illness using his mobile phone camera. This man decided to put the footage he had taken of Api’s suffering on a ‘Youtube’ video link, and trying at the same time to imply that the shelter did not care for their animals and that the suffering and agony of Api was typical of what was always happening.

This footage on Youtube was produced with the intention of deceipt and misinformation about conditions and treatment of all animals at EPAR shelter.  It has not worked, as with love and care and proper veterinary attention when it was immediately required, little Api, who had by then been given her name by the shelter staff, was fully recovered from her ordeal.

Api has repaid all the shelter staff for saving her life, by giving them love, attention and kindness.  Api has decided to move into one of the shelter dog houses with another little female dog named ‘Fibi’ and with two males named ‘Bobi’ and ‘Gile’.

Now, as you can see from the photographs, Api looks like this – a beautiful healthy and strong little dog.  So very different from the day when the uncinscious little bundle was left dumped in a box at the front door of the shelter and when a sick man decided to try and pretend that all dogs at EPAR shelter were uncared for and left to suffer.

Api has beaten her coma, has survived her fight for life and is proof that the EPAR shelter loves and cares for all animals they take in, whatever their initial situation.  The EPAR shelter team are now ready to try and find a loving permanent home for Api where she can continue to give her new onwners lots of love, attention and very happy times.

Can you be the home that takes little Api ?

If you would like to offer Api a permanent home, or simply to give a donation to the EPAR shelter to help provide care and veterinary attention to animals in need, then please contact the team at EPAR shelter in the following way:-

E mail : epar@yunord.net

Web Site: www.epar.org.rs.

With love and thanks from a very greatful Api and all the wonderful team at EPAR who battled to keep this little dog alive; we hope to hear from you very soon about Api.

xx

Pictures:  Api in December 2008

Filed under: GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, SERBIA (Central Serbia: Capital - Belgrade) and (Serbia, SHELTER - Information | Leave a comment »