Project budget for stray dogs, half of the dogs still untreated

The country's prime minister, Ramush Haradinaj, had asked all Kosovo municipalities to declare a state of emergency.

In December of that year, at the request of the Kosovo Committee Association and the Veterinary and Food Agency (AUV), the Government approved the request and allocated 1.3m euros for implementation of the Action Plan, where, in a period of four years, a comprehensive strategy for control of stray dogs would include education, reducing stray dogs, registering dogs and their owners, and licensing private breeders.

In 2018 the project “Management and Control of wandering dogs” began, where K method was applied SVL (Captery ) Sterilizim ) Vacsimation, which predicted the number of stray dogs to be lowered. This project was completed in December 2018.

The volunteer organisation “United for Animals”, which voluntarily deals with animal rights, says that it supports the KSVL method, should also become an education and awareness of citizens, especially children.

In addition to the KSVL process, there must be an education and awareness of citizens, especially among primary school children. A central database should also be established by the Food and Veterinary Agency, which have promised to do so, for registering dogs owned by”, says the organisation's response to callos.com.

Arber Taraku, who has been named leader of the National Project “Management and control of wanderer dogs” 4 months after the project began, says dealing with stray dogs is the responsibility of municipalities and Veterinary Agency.

According to him, all dogs with owners must first be registered and then issue the animal abuse law.

“During 2018, in Kosovo there are 14,000 dogs that have been treated and the same have no opportunity to be re-produced. If they weren't treated right now, we'd have more than 20,000 people on the street. It is estimated that about 12,000 were left untreated, which by the end of this year can be duplicated”, Taraku said.

He has announced that of the 1.3m euros that have been earmarked for the project, approximately 150 thousand euros have been spent.

Government treatment of dogs is not the only concern these days.

In recent days it has been repeatedly reported through the media about the organisation of dog fights, where dogs fought between themselves to the death. This led to three animal rights organisations, United for Animals, the Foundation for Animal Rights and Kosovo Pet Rescue addressing the Government and the Kosovo Communists, with several requirements for stopping these races.

Requests included:

1. Release an ordinance or decision for urgent warning and ban of dog wars or races, on respective organs, specifically to Kosovo Police and the Public Services Directorate in each municipality. 2. Identification of individual dog abusers, such as perpetrators of such illegal acts and constant monitoring of their activities. 3. Copying the initial penal measures with legislation in force, by municipal and veterinarian inspectors of the Kosovo Republic's Food and Veterinary Agency. 3. Identification of unregistered dog breeders with the aim of selling cubs for races and wars.

Organization “The Foundation for Animal Rights” says last year's project should continue, since if it doesn't do so, it could be considered a failure.

The project to succeed should continue further, however, there is speculation at the moment whether the Government will continue to share the budget. If this project is not continued, then it may be considered a failure, the cause that the breeding of other untreated dogs will go smoothly. Dog wars are only prohibited by law in Kosovo, and now the amendments to the penal code, requalify these matches as criminal acts, which will also give us reason to increase the persemination to state bodies in this respect”, it says in response.

On the other hand, the information official at the Food and Veterinary Agency (AUV) Lumir Thaci, has said AUV has taken different measures both in informative terms and legislative.

“The Management and Control Project of wandering dogs has developed throughout the territory of Kosovo, where 90% of licensed local veterinaries are engaged. The project has been successfully developed and completed successfully. On the one hand, we have come to know the population in the cause of stray dogs and on the other hand we have created a good climate for the care of wandering and cuddling animals, such as by human treatment, and as by professional medical interventions by veterinarians”, Thaci said about callos.com.

He has made it known that in the 2020 legislative activity plan, special regulations for aggressive dogs will be drafted, with the basis of this regulation for checking and treatment for the kind of aggressive dogs in Kosovo.

Only the Rahovez municipality and the Vushtrris have stopped by orders organizing dog - fighting races, where fines are envisioned to be between 100 and 5 thousand euros, for those organizing these races.

“However, although the Law on Pet Care exists, the same is not being implemented. Animals, dogs in particular, are mistreated in the car market, and police and municipal inspectorate have not taken measures to halt this negative phenomenon”, says the organisation “United for Animals”. /Call. com