Meda, a long-haired white dog with gray ears and muzzle, lives on the streets of the Belgrade settlement Banovo Brdo.
Maybe the owners abandoned him and left him, or maybe he never had them.
Meda is not the only animal that welcomes all weather conditions on the street.
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With extremely low or high temperatures, animals have the same problem as humans, says veterinarian Siniša Gatarić.
However, he adds that it is more difficult for them during the flight, because the only way for them to cool down is by breathing, since their bodies do not sweat.
Med is cared for by Vera Jokić, a student from Belgrade, who feeds and leaves water for abandoned pets.
"Even though dogs and cats living on the street are used to people, they are very careful and smart and don't really trust everyone.
"They long for someone to pay attention to them, and their survival depends on weather conditions and someone's goodwill," he says.
Many cities in Serbia still do not have a sustainable solution for the growing number of abandoned animals, primarily dogs.
Their well-being therefore often depends on the people who care for them on the street.
Leto i visoke temperature
The image of a tired dog seeking refuge from the city heat in a planter filled with water has been circulating on social media for a long time.
In the summer months, due to high temperatures and concrete, animals are particularly endangered, explains Gatarić.
"That's why it's important that they be in the shade and have plenty of drinking water, and there are associations for the care of abandoned animals that take care of this at the local level," he says.
Even hot city concrete can be problematic.
"Everything that is hot for our palm is also hot for the paws of dogs and cats, that's why they move more easily on the grass.
"This cannot be solved on an individual level, because by spilling less water on hot concrete, not much can be achieved," he adds.
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"It's better not to leave food, but to leave perishables"
In plastic bowls on the concrete in front of buildings where food is left for abandoned animals, there are different foods - from granules to leftovers from lunch.
Although feeding animals is motivated by good intentions, one should pay attention to what each animal eats, explains Sandra Nikolić from the association for the protection, education and study of animals "ZOO Planet" in Niš.
"Sometimes it seems that any food is good for hungry animals, but that does not mean that they will digest it easily.
"People forget that cats and dogs are primarily carnivores," he adds.
Animals have got a natural innate instinct to recognize inadequate food, so they often won't even take it, but spicy and liquid food can have bad consequences such as diarrhea, vomiting or poisoning.
Veterinarian Zoran Lončar warns that poisoning by microtoxins, mold products, which are caused by spoilage of food at high temperatures, is common.
"That's why granules and light food are the best," he says.
"When feeding a group of dogs, for their own safety, food should be left when they are not around, in places where they congregate," he says.
Shelters during cold winters
For those animals that do not have owners and a warm home, low temperatures can also be a problem.
The water then freezes, so they often remain thirsty, and the city's concrete becomes too cold for them.
"Then they wander around the city, looking for a warm habitat, so in one photo on Instagram I saw Meda riding in public transport," says Vera Jokić.
In agreement with the neighbors, the doors of the buildings are left open, so that dogs and cats can enter to warm up.
Animals can be helped by building shelters that would protect them from the sun and cold, explains Zoran Lončar.
He adds that it doesn't have to be complicated.
"It can also be a cardboard house with a pillow and a blanket.
"In the winter, it is only important that they have small entrances that are located opposite the direction of the wind," he says.
Animals tolerate low temperatures more easily than high temperatures.
There is a natural cycle of fur replacement, which then becomes thicker, and they often find a habitat that preserves their temperature, adds veterinarian Gatarić.
What if the animal is poisoned or injured?
It is easy to recognize an animal that does not feel well - it is apathetic, disoriented, breathing and walking with difficulty, explains Gatarić.
He adds that it is often poisoning, so the only way to help her is to get her to a veterinary clinic quickly.
And when it comes to injuries, you should react as soon as possible.
"The most important thing is to call emergency professional help for animals.
"Nevertheless, if this is not possible, it is important to help her as simply as possible by transferring her to a flat surface that should simulate a stretcher, without much movement of body parts," says veterinarian Lončar.
Then you have to be careful, because animals "can be aggressive in moments like this".
How to help the birds in the city?
On city streets and in parks, along with dogs and cats, there are also birds, hedgehogs, turtles and lizards.
Birds and bats can be helped by making shelters and feeders, where they could nest.
Raptors such as crows and ravens hunt mice themselves, while sparrows and pigeons can feed on millet seeds, wheat or food from pet stores, explains Sandra Nikolić from the "ZOO Planet" association in Niš.
And leaving fallen leaves on the ground or in a pile may be useful because it is a home for insects, an important source of food for birds and small animals.
How to recognize winter sleep in hedgehogs?
With stiff legs while lying on their backs, hedgehogs can look as if they have died, when in fact they are only in hibernation, explains Nikolić.
Hedgehogs then do not actually sleep, but lower their body temperature to match the environment and enter a state of torpor.
Then they dig a hole and dig in to spend the winter, but there are those who don't manage to do it before their body temperature drops, so they stay on the ground, says Nikolić.
"It is important that we know that these animals are not dead, that we bring them home and put them in a box with dry leaves to keep them warm.
"They will then wake up, and we can return them to nature, where the animal will adapt," she says.
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