01/07/08 On the Streets Because of Skiing Holidays
Animal Friends warns about an increased number of abandoned animals which is the result of mass ski holidays
There is no room for any more abandoned animals in animal shelters and the number of abandoned animals is further increasing with oncoming ski holidays. Even though the number of abandoned animals is lower in winter than during the summer, it is equally shocking that families plan their winter holidays without taking care of the family's companion animal which is as much a family member as anyone else.
Abandoned animals face many dangers: being run-over by a car, starving, dying of thirst, or freezing to death in low temperatures. We want to highlight that abandoning of companion animals is fined with up to 15,000 Kuna and we once again call to the people not to buy companion animals but to adopt abandoned dogs and cats.
It is also very important to urgently introduce the legal obligation to micro-chip all dogs, as Animal Friends proposed to Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management. The Ministry is acting irresponsibly and inert regarding this matter which is bad for all, the animals, local communities and all the people of Croatia.
The legal obligation to micro-chip all dogs would help in finding lost dogs and it would increase the efficiency of punishing irresponsible pet owners. This is, in addition to the condemnation of buying of companion animals and encouraging of adopting from animal shelters, another very important factor in solving the enormous problem of caring for abandoned animals.