11/14/15 Injured Animals Need Our Help!
The last "Adopting is Cool" event of the year calls citizens to help wounded dogs and cats
- November 14, Ban Jelacic Square: a dog with a broken leg and a dog with a broken pelvis call for adoption
On Saturday, November 14, 2015, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Zagreb City Shelter in Dumovec and the City of Zagreb are holding the last "Adopting is Cool" event of the year on Zagreb's Ban Jelacic Square, in collaboration with Animal Friends Croatia. The theme is adoption of injured animals.
The stars of the event are Ibby, who proudly walks on all four in spite of a broken leg, and the beautiful Izolda, who is still in the hospital with a broken pelvis, awaiting full recovery. Both are looking for a new home and human family. Visit our information booths for educational pamphlets, information about responsible animal care, and T-shirts advocating adoption instead of buying animals.
Abandoned animals fall victim to traffic every day. Animals that have been hit by a car can only stumble brokenly through the streets or remain lying in a pool of their own blood. Their guardian's carelessness is what got them under the wheels of a car, so they need our help and compassion. Besides animal ambulance service and treatment, injured animals in recovery most of all need a family to take care of them and love them forever.
Animal welfare is a legal obligation. The Animal Protection Act states that whoever injures an animal must provide them with adequate help or, if unable to do so, ensure that they get help. Animal Friends Croatia wants to call attention to the paradox that Croatia has no system to help injured animals in practice, but does have an animal carcass collection service. The treatment of injured animals should be organized by local self-government units in collaboration with an animal ambulance or station.
In Zagreb, the matter is handled by the City Shelter in Dumovec, which provides veterinary help and treatment, and the Noina Arka organization's shelter, which is in charge of the rehabilitation and adoption of injured animals. The Noina Arka organization has saved 97 and placed 43 dogs into homes this year, and is providing care for numerous dogs and cats. This year, the shelter has accommodated 152 injured cats, most of which happily found their new families.
However, other Croatian cities do not provide organized treatment and care for injured animals, so their welfare depends on the kindness of citizens who are willing to help them at their own cost. It is imperative that the local self-government units manage the issue by financing the treatment of injured animals and accommodation in shelters until adoption, as prescribed by law.
Animal abandonment is at the heart of the problem of injured animals. The prescribed fines of up to 15,000 kunas are rarely imposed, which only encourages irresponsible individuals to abandon their animals and puts additional financial strain on the community.
Adoption is cool because a new home is what traumatized animals need the most. If you are thinking about adding a new four-legged member to your family, visit the nearest shelter or adopt Ibby, Izolda or some other animal from the lost and found ads on the Internet or in the press.