Fourteen animals, including an Asian two-humped camel, an Australian emu and an African ostrich, died in a shelter in the village of Blizna, near Podgorica, and the owner Miljan Milickovic he informed the authorities about this only after almost a month. The animals were buried and disposed of harmlessly within the property, and the cause of death is not yet known.
This was told to "Vijesta" by the Directorate for Food Safety, Veterinary and Phytosanitary Affairs (UBHVFP). They also said that the prosecutor's office was informed about everything.
"The Directorate for Food Safety, Veterinary and Phytosanitary Affairs became aware of the death cases that occurred during December almost a month later, on January 10, 1. Immediately after receiving the information about the deaths, everything was done to verify the information about the death of animals . The death of the camel, as the first in a series, was immediately reported to the police and the case was opened in the prosecutor's office on the same day. After the arrival of the police and the engagement of a forensic expert from the veterinary profession, an autopsy was ordered to be performed. After the completion of the expert examination and the obtained results of the autopsy, the findings and opinion were handed over to the prosecutor's office", told "Vijesta" from the Administration headed by Vladimir Djakovic.
They also said that, according to the information received from the veterinarian who performed the autopsy of the dead camel, the suspicion of an infectious disease was ruled out, and the suspicion of poisoning was dismissed.
The Basic State Prosecutor's Office (ODT), as they told the editorial office, was informed about the death of the camel back in December, after which the case was formed.
"Regarding your question, I would like to inform you that on December 11, 2022, the state prosecutor on duty was informed that in the Animal Protection Organization 'Shelter and Recovery of Animals of Montenegro', in the village of Blizna, owned by M. M, one animal died - a two-humped camel , about 12 years old. On the order of the state prosecutor, the same evening, an investigation was carried out in the presence of police officers and veterinary experts, while an autopsy was carried out the next day. The formed case is in the investigation phase", they told "Vijesta" from ODT Podgorica.
The Podgorica Prosecutor's Office also said that in the meantime, the status of the case regarding the events at the Milicković estate has not changed.
The Administration for Food Safety, Veterinary and Phytosanitary Affairs also said that after being informed about the death of the animals, the veterinary inspector and their officers immediately inspected the part of the property for which Miličković has a temporary permit for a zoo, and that the animals that died in Miličković buried in a special location within the estate, which is intended for burial.
"We would like to point out that this zoo has a temporary permit from the Administration for the performance of its activities and that it has been subject to supervision and control by the Administration until now. Within the zoo, which is a prescribed obligation, a grave pit was built in a special location for the harmless removal of dead animals. The animals were buried and disposed of harmlessly in the mentioned pit-tomb," said the Administration.
Among the dead animals are a male Asian two-humped camel, two martens, an Australian emu, an African ostrich and a Eurasian badger. Dead animals were previously reported to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the owner, according to the Nature Protection Act, was obliged to notify the Agency of the change in condition "without delay".
The law foresees a penalty in the amount of 2.000 to 40.000 for a legal entity that "does not immediately inform the administrative body of all changes and new circumstances that affect or may affect the validity of the permit, especially if it concerns the death of a specimen of an animal species and/or the destruction of a specimen of an animal species species".
Among the dead animals are two German spitz dogs, one Yorkshire terrier, two Vietnamese pigs, a ram, an African pygmy goat and a Shetland pony. According to the Administration, Milicković was not obliged to report their death to the Agency, but he was obliged to report to other institutions the change in health status and death on the farm.
"The legal obligation of the animal keeper is to report every change in health condition and death on the farm. Bearing in mind the case of the death of a camel processed in the prosecutor's office, as well as the reported death of species from the CITES list to the Agency and the Administration, but also certain omissions in the form of not reporting dead individuals of other species (two German spitz dogs, a Yorkshire terrier dog, two Vietnamese pigs, one ram, one African pygmy goat, one Shetland pony) measures will be taken in accordance with the Law on Inspection Supervision, the Law on Veterinary Medicine and the Law on the Protection of Animal Welfare", said the Administration to "Vijesta".
The animal shelter and recovery center is located twenty kilometers from Podgorica. In the description of the Facebook page through which his work is promoted, it is stated that it was founded as a non-governmental and non-profit organization, that it covers 12.000 square meters of meadows, forests and pastures, that it started working in October 2005, and that "with an expert team of veterinarians, researchers and animal lovers is successfully engaged in the reception and recovery of animals that are in trouble, injured, without shelter, confiscated in smuggling or too young and weak to be able to live independently".
The shelter is open for visits and the animals are in constant contact with people. The Agency previously told "Vijesta" that the owner Miljan Miličković was never issued a permit to open and operate a shelter, that he never even asked for a permit for a shelter, but only for the keeping of certain animal species.
"In the decision issued by this Agency, it is expressly underlined that animals are not exhibited to visitors or for commercial purposes, and we have information that all this was done," the EPA said earlier.
In the contest for financing NGO projects, in the area of animal welfare protection, the Directorate for Food Safety, Veterinary and Phytosanitary Affairs previously awarded the NGO Animal Shelter and Recovery EUR 24.998 for the project "Improving the conditions for the protection of the welfare of wild and indigenous animal species".
Questionable zoo permit
Regarding the temporary permit for the zoo, which was issued to Milicković by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, the Environmental Protection Agency previously told "Vijesta" that it could not have been issued without their prior opinion.
"If it was issued, the Law on Nature Protection was violated, with which the official and the issuing authority committed a serious legal violation, which we will also inform the inspections, as soon as we come into possession of it," the EPA said earlier.
As they unofficially said from the Administration, the temporary permit for the zoo for Milicković expired on December 31.
In Montenegro, as the former Ministry of Sustainable Development previously informed the public, there are 14 locations called zoos.
Experts for the implementation of the CITES convention in an interview for "Vijesti" said that none of them meet the conditions of a zoo, as required by the European zoo directive (1999/22/EC of March 29, 1999). This means, among other things, that they keep up-to-date records of all animals, and that they have an educational character and provide information about the species and natural habitats of the animals they exhibit.
NOTE: In the original version of the text, it was stated that a number of dead animals were from the CITES list, which is not the case. It does not change the fact that the six dead animals are wild and the keeper is subject to national regulations regarding their keeping as stated in the text.
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