The situation with abandoned dogs in Podgorica has been brought to the brink of exhaustion, and the dog shelter is working beyond its capabilities, veterinarian and manager of the Podgorica shelter, Maša Jovanović Džankić, pointed out on Boje jutra on TV Vijesti.
She warned that the problem is long-standing, systemic, and cannot be solved without a serious strategy and the involvement of all relevant institutions.
"The situation on the streets is alarming. We do not know the exact number of abandoned dogs in Podgorica, but it is clear that the problem is huge and that the shelter can no longer cope," said Jovanović Džankić.
The shelter currently houses more than 300 dogs, while the shelter's capacity is only 164 boxes, which is why dogs are often housed in groups.
"We have been brought to the breaking point. The shelter is not a place where dogs should live, but a transit station. The main role of the shelter is sterilization or castration, vaccination and medical care, after which the dogs are either adopted or returned to public areas. It is impossible to keep all the dogs here, no matter how much we want to," explains Jovanović Džankić.
A particular problem is the constant influx of new dogs, especially puppies.
"One dog leaves, three new ones arrive. During the holidays, we had a large number of reports of puppies abandoned next to containers and in canals," said Jovanović Džankić.
Speaking about the new decision on pet ownership, which was adopted at the end of December last year, she said that results are expected from it, but only if it is implemented consistently. The decision stipulates mandatory sterilization and castration, microchipping, marking of dogs that return to the street, as well as high fines - up to 5.000 euros - for unscrupulous owners.
"Laws exist, but without the work of inspections, they have no effect. We cannot control citizens from asylum - the system must do that. Without the support of institutions and responsible behavior of citizens, we cannot solve this problem. Asylum cannot and must not be the only option," she stressed.
The Podgorica shelter says that more than 300 dogs are still waiting for their adoptive parents, with an appeal to citizens to help solve the problem that has burdened the capital for years through responsible ownership and adoption.
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