Running an Abandoned Animal Control Program in Eastern Europe MISSION POSSIBLE Running an Abandoned Animal Control Program in Eastern Europe Ivan Kurajov Society for the Protection of Animals ::LJUBIMCI :: Pancevo - Serbia

Is it really possible???

Define your: Problems Position Goals and objectives Partners Actions Program Plans of implementation

Be very: Realistic Specific Clear Visible Loud!

Initial situation No state or municipal legal procedure Packs of dogs in the streets Problems with abandoned animal bites No cooperation with state bodies or organisations Shelters without any protocols or control All other problems you can imagine…

Streets in 2008. and 2009.

Start small – grow fast First animal welfare law was adopted in 2009. All municipalities have to create program for stray animal control Pancevo city created first street animal welfare working group in 2007. First Abandoned Animal Control Program presented in the same year Other municipal legal documents and practices were presented or established from 2010-2015.

Program outlines First of its kind in Serbia and it consists of : Catch-Neuter-Vaccinate-Release procedure Microchipping all treated animals Education program Rehoming of shelter and street animals Animal welfare and protection promotion

Actions & Campaigns Our organisation together with different partners has undertaken numerous actions and campaigns in aim to promote, support and develop the program: Rehomed, treated and spayed/ neutered thousands of abandoned animals Animal welfare and protection issues promoted at numerous events and festivals Education events and seminars for responsible owners, street animal caregivers and animal control officers and handlers Conferences and seminars with international speakers organized for municipal officers, public shelter managers and animal welfare organisations Together with local media we are issuing weekly educative articles about animal handling and responsible ownership Street animal houses construction- campaigns and actions of building and placing temporary animal houses Animal bites control act was drafted by our organization and was accepted by the local government (aim of this act is to control, process and prevent street animal attacks) Strict control of the public shelter work was introduced- better animal handling and care within this institution First animal friendly secondary school was presented in 2015. - first school of this kind in Serbia Educative presentations about animals, animal welfare and protection program were presented in many schools and kindergartens Animal and pet friendly locations and businesses organized and promoted

Results Visible after 4 years of implementation of abandoned animal population control program 2010 - number of caught dogs and cats by the public animal control company was about 2400 ,most of them were euthanized or have died in public shelter due to the poor handling and lack of proper care 2015 number of caught animals was about 600 and 70% of them were taken back to the streets after the sterilisation, vaccination and treatment or they were rehomed in cooperation with our organization. Problems caused by street animals significantly decreased Compared with similar sized cities in last 3 years, other cities had 300 percent increase compared with Pancevo due to the fact that there are no clear animal control programs or there is a lack of their implementation Amount of money spent during the implementation of the program is the same or even lower than before

From being stray and unwanted- street animals became city animals with caregivers and street houses

Push your: Limits Volunteers  Creativity

Street animal houses construction

Consctructing the Hero dog monument–first of its kind in the region

No matter how small you are, or how your mission may look impossible Yes you can!

Thank you for your attention! Contact: info@ljubimci.org.rs ivan.kurajov@ljubimci.org.rs