03/10/06 Veterinary non-Inspections
The veterinary inspection supports lawbreaking and aids animal torturers
Animal Friends and the Zagreb Association of Animal Welfare Organizations (SUZA) summon a press conference to express their bitterness for the disfunction of veterinary inspections, the constant hush up of animal torture and abuse and the blatant assistance to those who are breaking the law and abusing animals.
The press conference will be held on Friday, April 10, 2006, at 2:00 P.M. in the rooms of the Info Center, Stara Pescenica 4, where numerous cases of veterinary inspection inefficiencies will be presented, documented by video and photo material.
At the conference Marija Bogojevic's embittered neighbors from New Zagreb will be present. Marija Bogojevic was reported by Animal Friends for keeping animals on public city surface, which is against the law. Besides keeping, abusing and killing of domestic animals in her very apartment and on public area in Sopot, Zagreb, Marija Bogojevic had a dog named Ben that spent his poor life on the leash, keeping the rest of the animals safe, depending especially on the care of other neighbors who fed him and paid for necessary vaccinations and vet care.
Ben died on one of the coldest days of this year. After the report of keeping the pig and chickens in a public area, veterinary inspector Branko Sbodulja did not notice any improper way of keeping the pig, and took no necessary measures of sanction, but, to the contrary, he helped the owner to get a new dog called Vigor from the veterinary hygiene service! Vigor, a sick and untreated dog, was left on the public area as a new care-case to the neighbors who let us know that the "caretaker" has actually lost him and now she is on search to find a new dog for "her public area" before she orders a new pig.
The dog's condition and his bad state before he was lost, are presented on a video recordings, and we will add a hand-signed statement from neighbors about their care for Ben as well as the municipal worker's notice which proved the lawbreaking. We should mention that we still have not received any report from veterinary inspection on this case.
Since this is not the only case, at the press conference some other cases will be presented which show that there is a need for big changes in efficiency and behavior of veterinary inspectors. They have showed their inefficiency in the beagle affair last summer, after which Animal Friends demanded an immediate replacement of inspector Zeljko Devcic, who although retired, still performs his duties as a veterinary inspector.
That is why we ask the Ministry to investigate the veterinary inspectors' work and name new inspectors as soon as possible so the new inspectors can take over all cases where animal welfare laws are broken and can seriously care for animals instead only doing the hygienic inspection of sausages.
