11/22/24 Farmer received nearly 30,000 euros in subsidies despite keeping livestock in filth and dead animals
Animal Friends Croatia filed a criminal complaint for killing or torturing animals for profit
- Letter Sent to Minister Dabro Advocating for Stricter Control and Eligibility Criteria for Subsidies
Following media reports exposing the horrific conditions in which Stojan Vitanović kept his livestock near Križevci, Animal Friends Croatia has filed a criminal complaint against him for the alleged crime of killing or torturing animals for profit. They have called for the maximum prison sentence and a ban on owning or acquiring animals for the maximum allowable duration. The organization also sent a letter to the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, warning about the lack of oversight in allocating state subsidies to livestock farmers and suggesting urgent reforms.
“The Ministry annually distributes subsidies for livestock farming, but due to the absence of controls on how animals are kept, cases of neglect, abandonment, and abuse are widespread on subsidized farms. Across Croatia, animals are often left to starve, dehydrate, or succumb to extreme weather conditions. Most die slowly from prolonged starvation. We proposed to Minister Dabra that his Ministry, in cooperation with the State Inspectorate, create a register of farmers who will no longer be eligible for subsidies, while inspections and the state prosecutor’s office take measures to confiscate animals and ban offenders from owning or acquiring others,” says Snježana Klopotan Kačavenda, project coordinator at Animal Friends Croatia.
She recalls that Stojan Vitanović had neglected his livestock for many years. Animals were suffocating in their own manure; many died and were left rotting in the barn covered in filth beside other live animals. Despite repeated interventions by the veterinary inspection, it wasn’t until media attention forced action that the animals were confiscated, and Animal Friends Croatia filed a criminal complaint against him for abusing and killing animals for profit. Shockingly, over the past 10 years, Vitanović received more than €28,000 in state subsidies for raising cattle. Worse, just 10 days after his last inspection report in mid-October, another €753 was deposited into his account!
“This is just one of the latest horrifying examples of animal owners exploiting state subsidies while committing severe animal neglect. It means that Jovan Vitanović can still acquire new livestock and request state subsidies for them, and the Ministry will continue paying him despite his notorious record of long-term animal neglect, numerous misdemeanour cases, and now a criminal case. He even publicly declared that he sees no problem in such appalling treatment of animals. Moreover, his actions violate not only animal welfare regulations but also those concerning animal health and environmental protection,” says Klopotan Kačavenda.
She emphasizes that caring for neglected, abandoned, and abused farm animals creates significant costs for local governments. This is because animal owners, who bear misdemeanour and criminal responsibility, often refuse to cover the costs of care, or certain circumstances prevent the enforcement of regulations for mandatory repayment. This is another reason why the Ministry, as required by the Animal Protection Act, must regularly (at least annually) conduct administrative oversight of local communities and counties in cooperation with relevant inspections, verifying the practices of subsidy beneficiaries in livestock farming. Such measures could prevent animal owners from continuing to harm animal welfare, neglect them, or abandon them on public or private land, endangering public health and safety.
In their letter to Minister Dabro, Animal Friends Croatia noted that they have been raising awareness about this issue for two decades, but his predecessors failed to address these challenges. They expressed hope that during his ministerial term, he will solve this growing problem. Over time, subsidy recipients have come to realize they have nothing to fear, as there are no consequences for animal abuse, and the Ministry funds will keep coming.
“Given all the above, we believe it is essential for the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries to implement oversight of subsidy recipients, including monitoring how they care for farm animals. Otherwise, the purpose of subsidies becomes meaningless, enabling individuals to exploit animals' suffering for quick financial gain,” concludes Animal Friends Croatia.
