Health care, sanitation and pest control, vaccination, immunization and control of epidemic outbreaks are the topics that will be included in the manual for shelters for abandoned animals, which will be published in early 2025.
This, among other things, is stated in the Annual Report on the work of the Animal Protection Council, which was published after the Government session on Thursday.
The preparation of the manual was the topic of the seventh and last session of the Council in the reporting period (December 2023 to December 2024).
The Council believes that, where shelters are established, regardless of who is the founder, it is important "that they have functionality and an established system that will successfully recognize risks":
"And in the event of the appearance of diseases, they should be detected, suppressed and eradicated in a timely manner. That is why it is necessary to keep the level of health care and care of animals satisfactorily high, thereby satisfying the well-being of the animals and improving their quality of life during their stay in the shelter".
As planned, after it is published, the "Manual of Sanitation and Epidemic Management in Shelters for Abandoned Animals" will be delivered to local governments, registered shelters and other interested parties.
Population control
The council, as stated in the annual report, at its meeting in March, also noted that local governments are not sufficiently committed to controlling the dog population.
The council previously sent letters to all municipalities regarding the adoption of the related program. As they stated, by March they received answers from nine out of 25 self-governments - Podgorica, Nikšić, Bijelo Polje, Kotor, Tivat, Rožaje, Mojkovac, Kolašin and Žabljak.
"The Council sent an urgent message to the local self-governments that did not respond to the letters in question and concluded that the local self-governments pay very little attention to this area. In addition to the fact that at the level of the state and the Council for the Protection of Animals, all prerequisites for quality management of abandoned animals, especially dogs, are provided, there is not enough interest at the local level," the report states.
After the last annual session at the beginning of December, they additionally noted that all municipalities, although they were obliged to do so by the first quarter of this year, have not yet drawn up local plans in accordance with the Program for Dog Population Control in Montenegro with an action plan.
After a field visit to the shelters in Nikšić and Berane, the report adds, it was concluded that there is a need to work on improving the existing conditions in the shelters, "especially in the area of raising awareness and training employees in the shelters."
Pathological findings as evidence for the procedure
The Council considered the statements of the dog keepers and the Specialist Veterinary Laboratory that in cases where animal poisoning is suspected, the Police Directorate and the Prosecutor's Office encounter misunderstanding and refusal to initiate proceedings when it is a criminal offense.
"For these animals, there are reports from veterinary doctors that talk about suspected poisoning. Additionally, an autopsy was performed and the pathological findings indicated a high probability of poisoning. The owners of the animals from the police were informed that the prosecutor's office will not initiate the case until the Center for Ecotoxicological Testing (CETI) reports that the poison used to kill the animal has been isolated. Bearing in mind the high cost of this service at CETI, and that a criminal complaint is filed against an unknown person, and that the pathological finding in itself, in accordance with good professional practice, indicates an extremely high probability that poisoning is involved, the Council is of the opinion that the pathological finding is sufficient evidence for the initiation of proceedings", they state.
Wandering cattle
At one of the sessions, the council also discussed, as they state, the continuous problem of stray livestock in several municipalities in Montenegro, for which "a permanent and effective solution must be found in order to protect animals, people and the environment". As obstacles in solving that problem, they state that there are no infrastructural conditions for housing sheltered or confiscated animals, and the possibilities for further treatment with them are limited. The facility for housing abandoned animals for production, as they stated, exists only in the territory of the municipality of Ulcinj. The facility is used for immediate treatment until further procedures with the same are decided.
At one of the sessions, it was proposed that in order to take care of these animals, those that are socialized and non-aggressive should be given to socially vulnerable families from rural areas in Montenegro.
In the annual report, the Council made recommendations, among which it is necessary to raise public awareness of obligations and responsibilities in the area of animal welfare protection, "especially in the area of responsible ownership". They also state that it is necessary to intensively implement a criminal policy against irresponsible owners and their actions with animals.
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