Apart from temporary volunteering in Praca shelter, we initiated reaction of legal authorities to improve living conditions for dogs that were really horrible. By making pressure, together with other associations and volunteers, we managed to force local government to hand over the management of the Shelter to the Cantonal Veterinary Station. The situation is still not good enough but we plan to continue our activities in the direction of further improvement.
October 28, 2017: Publicly calls the concerned institutions to provide all relevant information on treatment of stray dogs
On the occasion of the report and the confirmation made by the Veterinary Inspection of the Bosnian-Podrinje Canton Gorazde that the Stray Animal Shelter Praca is operating contrary to the Law on Animal Protection and Welfare of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the fact that the inspection prohibited further bringing of dogs to the Praca Shelter, the Association for Ethical Treatment of Human Beings and Animals “We are Part of the Solution“, publicly calls the concerned institutions to provide all relevant information on treatment of stray dogs from their catching till the final step in the process.
February 20, 2020: Prača Dog Shelter – Meeting with Acting Director of Sarajevo Cantonal Veterinary Station (CVS)
On Friday, January 10, 2020, on the initiative of the Association for Ethical Treatment of Humans and Animals „We are Part of the Solution“ a meeting was held with acting direcor of CVS Sarajevo, doctor Nirves Bulaja. On behalf of the Associatoin, the meeting was attended by Sanja Vuletić and Alma Kovačević, as well as Faruk Brkanić as, a volonteer in Prača shelter. The topic of the meeting was the existing situation with the dogs in Prača shelter and how citizens can help on the best possible way to improve their condition.
Director Bulaja informed us that there are 62 dogs currently in the shelter. The CVS provides food for dogs which contains all necessary nutritive ingredients, as well as sufficient energy which dogs need in the winter period of time. According to the suggestion of volunteer Faruk who often visits dogs in Prača, it would be desirable to increase the food quantity during the winter, what director Bulaja promised would to do.
All interested citizens are allowed to adopt dogs from the shelter, along with the obligations on responsible dog ownership so the moving of the dogs can be legally followed. Adoption of the dogs is also desirable so to help unload the shelter as its reconstruction is expected to start soon. Additionally, we were informed that the vet service visits the shelter when needed and based on the invitation of the staff, as well as that the disinfection of the channels is done on a regularly basis.
At your request, director Bulaja promised that the workers at the shelter would put additional amount of straw in dog channels during the winter. Additionally, he informed us that all interested people – dog lovers – are allowed to visit the shelter on another day, besides Saturday when volunteers usually do the visit, upon prior announcement of the Association and agreement with the CVS.
Furthermore, we were informed that, since the shelter reconstruction is expected to start soon, the dogs are supposed to be moved to a temporary shelter which would be built in Srednje, a suburb near Sarajevo. Bearing in mind that there is a quite serious number of dogs in Prača shelter who are traumatized and non-socialized, director stated that the CVS intends to try to socialize these dogs and enable their adoption and the assistance of citizens and NGOs is most welcome in this regard.
It was agreed that the Association would, together with volunteers, advertise the dogs from the shelter in order to try to find adopters, and try to help with socialization in order to increase their chances for adoption. Additionally, it was also agreed that the CVS would inform the Association and volunteers about relocation of the dogs to temporary shelter, as well as about other eventual decisions with the aim of attempt for adoption as many dogs as possible.
Due to lack of funds we have been doing all mentioned activities and investigations on a voluntary basis.