01/07/11 Encouraging of Local Communities to Establish Shelters for Abandoned Animals
To all veterinary inspectors
Subject: A request for implementation of measures to encourage local communities to establish shelters for abandoned animals - enactment of decisions and obligation to implement the decisions
January 7, 2011
Dear Sir or Madam:
In the 8th meeting of The Network Against Animal Abandoning, we once more opened many questions about the performance of the legal obligations by local and regional communities. Now we would like to to draw attention to the importance of enactment of decisions by veterinary inspectors which will instruct local government to establish shelters in places where there are none, even after the end of all the legal deadlines. This is in accordance with Article 55 and the application of Article 69, paragraph 5 of the Animal Protection Act (Official Gazzette 135/06), related with Article 150, paragraph 1, item 42 of the Veterinary Act (Official Gazzette 41/07 and 155/08).
We find such an action of utmost importance for the fulfilment of public interest and the application of positive regulations in the Republic of Croatia. We ask you to do everything in your power as soon as possible in order to assure citizens of this country that the legal state is working properly. Veterinary Office of the Split-Dalmatia County, Split Office, has formulated and written binding decisions to local communities. We appeal to all offices to follow the noteworthy and necessary step towards encouraging local communities to fulfil their legal obligations, which are also obligations towards their own citizens, who finance this activity.
Despite all difficulties and problems which exist in the implementation of laws and regulations, it proved to be efficient (after numerous letters, appeals, meetings and actions) that veterinary inspectors, who are the key factors and authorized agents for law enforcement, use their authority as civil servants to insist on the implementation of legal obligations of local communities more often and more strict, considering that even four years after the Animal Protection Act became effective, the situation has not changed significantly. This will also contribute to the dignity of the civil service and veterinary inspectors, who are the only ones able to directly ensure the legality of procedures of local governments in the implementation of regulations.
Therefore we ask you once again to consider our request and to apply the measures as soon as possible. By this we mean the enactment of decision to make it mandatory for all local governments to ensure welfare of abandoned animals in their territory by establishing shelters modelled after the Shelter for Abandoned Animals of the City of Zagreb in Dumovec. We emphasize that the focus is on care and accommodation in terms of the Animal Protection Act, as it was created by the relevant Ministry, and in which the legislator turned the will of citizens into a mandatory legal form by ordering the construction of shelters and introduction of education and adoption programs, rather than killing of animals. This is in the interest of the whole community and in the spirit of the modern European society.
We believe that you and your authority can serve as examples that will help to change the negative reputation of the Republic of Croatia in the European Union. On behalf of the citizens of this country we ask you to take the necessary measures, and to inform us about the progress in the interest of our collaboration with the public.
Please note that the relevant Ministry has been notified about the problem and the proposed solution. Feel free to contact us for more information.
Sincerely,
Luka Oman
President
To the attention of:
- MAFRD– Administration of Veterinary Inspection, Ms. Marica Cikojevic, senior inspector
- MAFRD – Administration of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Animal Protection, M.s Mr. sc. Branka Bukovic Sosic, head
