Municipality of Tivat: Gross untruths and deliberate dissemination of disinformation

The non-governmental organization "Animal Friends of Podgorica" ​​announced yesterday that it has received a large number of complaints from citizens from Tivat in the past period, claiming that the municipal utility service solves the problem of abandoned large livestock by shooting the animals with firearms.

"According to the information we received, the target of the shooting is not only abandoned livestock, although that is terrible to say the least, but also animals that have owners and are grazing. The aforementioned citizens told us that all this has been going on for several years, and that they have turned to all relevant institutions for help, but that no one has come to their aid, and therefore they saw us as a saving grace," said the NGO.

They noted that they do not have the authority and capacity as an NGO to "prevent possible criminal acts by municipal institutions", but that they call on "all relevant state institutions to immediately get involved in resolving this problem and to investigate whether the aforementioned criminal acts have been committed in the territory of the Tivat municipality in the previous period".

"If so, all persons who committed the criminal act of torturing and killing animals and disturbing their habitat, as well as those who ordered it, should be prosecuted," said the NGO "Animal Friends Podgorica".

Regarding the claims of this NGO, the Municipality of Tivat reacted, saying that the information released to the public by the NGO "Animal Friends Podgorica" ​​is "completely untrue, unverified and damaging to the reputation of the institutions of the Municipality of Tivat."

"The Municipal Police Service of the Municipality of Tivat, in cooperation with the Municipal Company and the competent veterinary inspector, has been conducting an organized campaign for a long time to capture large livestock that, without supervision and adequate care of the owner, move freely, mainly in the peripheral and higher parts of the municipality. We emphasize that all activities are carried out with the consent of the Food Safety, Veterinary and Phytosanitary Administration and exclusively in accordance with the Law on Animal Protection and Welfare of Montenegro, as well as other applicable regulations and procedures, without the use of any means that could endanger the animals. The use of a four-year-old edited video and claims about the alleged use of firearms represent serious misleading of the public. The Municipality of Tivat is fully aware of the delicacy of this problem and is approaching it responsibly, balancing the need to protect animals with the obligation to protect the safety of citizens and their property," the local government said.

For years, Tivat has been grappling with the problem of semi-wild large stray cattle that unscrupulous owners let roam unsupervised, especially in the eastern parts of the city in the area of ​​the Gradiošnica local community, towards Vrmac hill. These cattle cause great material damage to the locals because they enter and devastate their gardens, olive groves, orchards and properties, damage cars, and some of the large bulls are particularly dangerous for small children, as well as tourists walking along the hiking trails on Vrmac. Semi-wild stray cattle, when entering the Adriatic Highway near Tivat Airport at night, have caused several traffic accidents in which major material damage was caused and there were also minor injuries to people. However, none of this has so far aroused the interest of NGOs dealing with the protection of animal rights to speak out and raise the issue of the responsibility of farmers who treat their cattle in this way. This treatment of some farmers has been publicly characterized by the Municipality of Tivat on several occasions as organized criminal activity and a threat to the general safety of citizens.

The local administration announced yesterday that, in accordance with the conclusions and obligations established by the Government of Montenegro to solve the problem of stray livestock, "The Municipality of Tivat is the only municipality that fulfilled its legal obligation within the stipulated deadline and built a pen for housing abandoned animals, thus demonstrating a responsible and systematic approach to this long-standing problem."

"Four animals without ear tags have been placed in the pen, built in accordance with the applicable regulations and guidelines for the care of abandoned livestock, so far. We would like to remind you that for years, the citizens of Tivat have been suffering serious consequences from the uncontrolled movement of abandoned and inadequately guarded livestock, which causes significant material damage to private properties and endangers the safety of people and traffic. Attempts to portray the lawful and necessary activities of the Municipality as violent and illegal represent a conscious dissemination of disinformation. We call on the media to respect professional standards and the obligation to verify information before publishing," the Municipality announced.

They announced that the action to capture and dispose of large livestock will continue in the coming period, "with the aim of protecting citizens and their property."