Problem with wandering dogs remains unresolved, citizens call for institution intervention

Citizens seek imidia solutions, as the presence of wandering dogs on the streets of Pristina is very disturbing.

The Kosovo Communists Association says this problem cannot be solved independently, while the Foundation for Animal Rights says placing dogs in shelters does not provide adequate solutions,

The head of the Kosovo Communists Association, Sazan Ibrahimi, tells Kosovo that the association he runs is constantly being ignored by the Government by not being invited to meetings related to resolving various problems, including that of stray dogs.

“We have held numerous meetings with municipal public service directors, with former mayors, where problems have been discussed with wandering dogs. The joint conclusion of the municipal mayors has been that this problem cannot be solved in a parallel manner, but must have unilateral treatment from the central level... Prime Minister Kurti had held a meeting of various acts that were involved in resolving this issue several days ago, but the Association of Kosovo municipalities had not been invited from the central level of”, he said.

Elza Ramadani from the Foundation for Animal Rights tells Kosova Prees that at the meeting with Prime Minister Albin Kurti and the Ministry of Local Power, it has committed the task force to draft and budget the national strategy, which is expected to end in June, while its approval is expected next year.

“We as an organisation that we've been proposing to state institutions and the prime minister's level to become a national strategy for managing dogs with and without owners. The stray dogs come because of the dog owners. If the population of the dog owners is well managed, then there will be much fewer dogs on the street and maybe even remove them within five years if the stable measures are implemented as we have proposed, so we have brought that strategy to the prime minister's table, where he has arranged a meeting where he has invited all relief agents in this regard to pledge each state body for legal responsibilities and to improve laws, administrative guidelines in order to implement these measures with time and well. After meeting with the prime minister, we were also invited by the Ministry of Local Power, which is immediately committed to creating the task force for drafting and budgeting national strategy. We hope by June of this year that budget strategy will be handed over and the government approved in 2023”, she said.

Ramadani says how the organisation is informing people that placing dogs in shelters does not provide adequate solutions, since it will not stop breeding dogs.

Ramadan: Pristina municipality has initiated tender procedure for a temporary treatment centre

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I've said many times in the media and social media that we as an organization constantly inform citizens that shelter will not solve the problem at all. The shelters even if they were created in each municipality, they won't stop growing dogs on the road, we'd still be on the street, people would still be bitten, dogs would still be attacked and traumad on the road, so shelters are just an important link that needs to be met, but not at the moment it's not the first housing solution because it won't work. Pristina Mayor Rama has mentioned this, but has meant dogs for temporary treatment, the Pristina municipality is launching the tender procedure for a temporary treatment centre, as provided in administrative guidelines and legislation in force. This centre will serve as an ambulance, in the future it may also serve as a shelter, but for once, the number of dogs on the road must be reduced and stabilised, she said.

Citizen Fehmi Kuleta expresses concern for children, and he even relates the case where dogs attack citizens. It also has a call for institutions to make solutions.

“I look to institutions, the municipality to make a solution, as small children are mostly being endangered. I was there when they ran toward the child, almost eaten or the pregnant woman, the old man, and I ran with a tree and scared them. I'm wondering why our institutions aren't thinking about this, why isn't the municipality making solutions? But the streets are full of stray dogs, which especially endangers young children”, he said.

The same call was made by Leonora Zeqiri, who says there must be a shelter for treating these dogs.

The resolution of the problem belongs to both Pristina and other municipalities in Kosovo. The wandering dogs have become many, but it's not their fault, we have to commit ourselves and deal with them. They're not dangerous, they're hungry, they're attacking children. The solution to the problem is us, not dogs. These are not to blame, we should be more committed to having shelters and dogs not to stay on the street the whole time”, she said.

Otherwise, millions of euros have been spent so far by the government and Kosovo municipalities for the treatment of stray dogs, but without any success.

By 2017, dog treatment has made the Food and Veterinary Agency (AUV), which had received 1.3m euros from the then-led government of Ramush Haradinaj. The AUV had vaccinated and quarantined thousands of wanderers across the territory of Kosovo. The result was unhappy. In the end, almost all the funds allocated had been spent, and about half of the stray dogs were left untreated.

The law on veterinarians envisions that municipalities in accordance with procedures imposed by the Ministry of Agriculture, should register dogs, take annual vaccines against rage, catch dogs and street cats if necessary, and establish places for care of dogs and cats, as necessary.

At the last meeting of Pristina's chairman Progress Rama with EU representatives and non-governmental organisation has established a task force for drafting the action plan and the national strategy for human treatment of dogs, which contains ten points: identification and registration of microchip dogs, continued subvention for castem, sterilisation and vaccine of property dogs, strict control of breeding and dog sales, continued control of wanderer breeders through K mode SVL (Cap, Sterilizo, Vakino, Unleash), Executive Treatment Centres (QTP) and Rescue Centres, presentation of neighborhood watchmen for wandering animals, control of dog food, community awareness campaign, owner park (for socialization and resolution), municipal inspectors for veterinarians.

The shelter for treatment of wandering dogs is expected to be created in line with the municipality's original plan, as there is currently only centre for temporary treatment of animals, which are then released again.

According to police data, during 2020 there were about 28 attacks by stray dogs and 8 of the dog owners.