04/02/10 Donja Dubrava District
DONJA DUBRAVA DISTRICT
c/o Marijan Varga, criminologist and District Chairman
Trg Republike 13
40328 Donja Dubrava
April 2, 2010
Subject: Demand to stop killing abandoned animals
Dear Mr. Varga,
During our telehone conversation on April 2 we were shocked by the fact that captured dogs are killed within two or three days, given the fact that it is entirely against the Animal Protection Act and other legal regulations, as well as ethically completely inacceptable.
We understand that finances are scarce and that you must keep order in your district, but these facts can by no means justify your illegal actions.
The contract concerning capturing animals, which you have signed with the Prelog Veterinary Station, does not empower you to kill animals against all regulations. We would like to draw your attention to the fact that your way of taking care of abandoned and stray animals is entirely unsustainable and that you are liable to penal prosecution on account of legal charges for violating the Animal Protection Act.
Beside that, through the authorization that you have given to Prelog Veterinary Station you actually involve this institution into your illegal activities as well, which has additional consequences for all the parties involved. Stray animals should be certainly taken care of, but not by breaking the law. There are other procedures to help these animals, which are legal and do not involve killing animals, such as building animal shelters.
We therefore demand that you should immediately stop capturing and killing dogs, and that you start cooperating with us in order to decide upon measures for taking care of stray animals in accordance with legal regulations. These measures should involve all units of local self-management and the district chairman, who has the legal obligation to arrange the procedure and offer his or her contribution to animal welfare, in accordance with positive legal regulations, such as Art. 56, pt 4 and 5 of Animal Protection Act ("Narodne novine," No. 135/06).
We will send a similar letter to Mr. Mihinjac, who is the person in charge at Prelog Veterinary Station.
Best regards,
Sanja Lalic Valecic
