1. 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

2. Is it really possible???

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

4. Be very:
Realistic
Specific
Clear
Visible Loud!

5. 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…

6. Streets in and 2009.

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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 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

10. Results
Visible after 4 years of implementation of abandoned animal population control program
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

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

12. Push your:
Limits
Volunteers 
Creativity

13. Street animal houses construction

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

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

16. Thank you for your attention!
Contact: