01/24/13 The Request for the Total Number of Captured Animals in Shelters
Ministry of Agriculture
Veterinary Department
Planinska 2a
10 000 Zagreb
January 24, 2013
Dear Madam or Sir,
We make this request with Article 9 of the Freedom of Information Act (Official Gazette, No. 172/03 and 144/10) in mind, and on the basis of Article 4, paragraph 1, and Article 11, paragraph 1.
Based on the above-cited regulations, we request information related to the proceedings of registered animal shelters in the Republic of Croatia, on the total number of captured animals (dogs and cats) for each month, as well as the number of animals who were adopted, euthanized, and returned to their owners in 2012.
We believe that it would be useful to keep an annual record of animals euthanized in registered shelters, in case the Ministry does not already keep such record.
We find that it is extremely important to stress the progress made in relation to more adoptions and less euthanizations every year, which would certainly be demonstrated by such statistics.
This data would give better insight into issues, making the monitoring of the increase or reduction of the population of abandoned animals possible. It would also give us guidelines for further action in terms of educating children and adolescents.
Positive developments, which we believe would continue in the future, would provide further incentive to associations, i.e. citizens who take care of abandoned animals at their own expenses, to continue with their work with ever greater vigor and success.
For reasons stated, we believe that this data should be made public now and in the future. We believe that it would also prompt our fellow citizens to adopt animals instead of buying them.
Sincerely,
Lidija Eterovic
