04/30/10 A Warning to Local Municiplaities for Non-Implementation of the Animal Protection Act
REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development
Veterinary Department
c/o Mr.sc. Sanja Separovic, director
Hotel International, Miramarska 24
10000 Zagreb
April 30, 2010
Subject: Request to convey a sharp warning to local municiplaities for non-implementation of the Animal Protection Act
Dear Mrs. Separovic,
Triggered by the numerous cases of improper disposal of abandoned and lost animals all over Croatia and in accordance with the conclusions of the 7th meeting of the Network Against Animal Abandoning where the participants expressed their general dissatisfaction regarding the issue we are hereby submit our request to the power of your authority asking that you, by the power of the prescribed jurisdiction of the Ministry and the Veterinary Administration send a sharp letter to all counties, cities and minicipalities in order to explicitly warn them about the failure of their obligations arising from the provisions of the Animal Protection Act (Official Gazette no. 135/06.) and non-compliance with the provisions of the Ordinance on conditions to be met by an animal shelter and hygiene services (Official Gazette no. 110/04, 121/04 and 29/05).
Specifically, we are talking primarily about the lack of any concern of local or regional authorities for abandoned and lost animals, with rare and honorable exceptions, such as, for example, the City of Zagreb, which results in the burden of all citizens who take care of animals through various associations although most are not even authorized to do so, nor do they have the financial resources necessary for implementation of laws and regulations. Omissions of local or regional self-government units refer to Article 11 of the Animal Protection Act "Protection of abandoned and lost animals," Article 56 paragraphs 4 and 5, Article 57 Paragraph 2 and Article 58 paragraphs 2 and 4, as well as omissions of the already registered shelters that do not qualify under the foregoing provisions of the Ordinance. Therefore, it is the obligation of the local self-government to set up shelters and initiate all programs essential for their proper functioning, to finance their work, to collaborate with citizens and to educate and develop awareness of the need for protection and improvement of animal rights, respecting and recognizing the civil achievements of our legal system.
We are therefore asking you to write a memo to local self-government units to warn them about their obligation of taking immediate measures that the status be adjusted with the applicable laws and to ask them for reports on the measures taken; we would also like to be informed of the actions taken.
With regards,
Natalija Svrtan
Coordinator
Network Against Animal Abandoning
To:
- MAFRD – Cabinet of minister, Mr. Petar Cobankovic, minister
Ulica grada Vukovara 78
10000 Zagreb - MAFRD – Veterinary Administration
Department of Animal Protection, Ms .mr.sc. Branka Bukovic Sosic
Hotel Internacional, Zagreb
