To the Mayor of Svilajnac city

Mrs. Dobrivoje Budimirovic
Vice-mayor
Mrs. Gorica Gajic

President of the Svilajnac general assembly and veterinarian
Mrs. Dr Vladan Rajkovic
In Copy to:
Ministry of Agriculture, forestry and water management,
Veterinary Directorate
Director, Moroslav Marinkovic

Ladies,

we understand that at the local dog pound of Svilajnac 4 dogs (images below) that wear red ear markings of the animal welfare organisation "Vier Pfoten" (Four Paws International) are waiting to be killed by a lethal injection of the highly unsuitableT-61 (T-61 is a drug which causes respiratory paralysis - the lungs stop working whilst the animal is still awake. It suffocates whilst conscious), or other means (like stabbing to death with a pitchfork etc.).

These dogs have been vaccinated (and DO NOT carry rabies) and neutered by "Vier Pfoten" and I should like you to explain to me why these animals have been caught and taken to the pound.

Apart from this fact the killing of obviously healthy and sound animals – and this goes for ALL dogs at the pound right now – is in direct contravention to existing Serbian law – and if you are not aware of your own legislation let me help you remember:

From 1st January 2006, the Criminal Code of Serbia. Article 269:

Paragraph 1: anyone who is cruel to, inflicts violence or kills an animal as defined by this law, must be punished by up to a 6 month prison sentence;

Paragraph 2: if suffering or death is carried out on more than one animal, the person who inflicted this suffering can be sentenced with up to 3 years imprisonment.

- any person who is cruel, violent or inflicts death on any animal making up the 'special protection' group of animals (as for example, the wolf or the brown bear) can again be sentenced to up to 3 years imprisonment.

In addition to Article 269, Article 46 of the Serbian Veterinary Law declares:

- that animals have a right to life. There is no law declaring euthanasia has to be undertaken as a means of stray / street animal control.

- each local community in Serbia has an obligation to provide care for abandoned dogs and cats,

- each community has an obligation to finance stray animal care, including the building of shelters,

- each community has an obligation to finance sterilisation, medical care and food for the (stray) animals.

I therefore expect you to immediately release these animals again and instruct the shinters operating in the area to leave them in peace !!

As indeed would be most desirable with all dogs and cats that regularly find their cruel deaths in the death camps of Svilajnac and other Serbian cities.

You may be aware that efforts are underway to bring the matter of Serbia's stray to the attention of the EU Animal Welfare Eurogroup/Intergroup led by Mr. Parish (and the supporting initiative by Mr. Hutchinson) in Brussels – and even as I write this data on Serbian animal abuse is already being reveived and evaluated by Mr. Parish's office. The next EU Animal Welfare Eurogroup/Intergroup meeting this year will see a lot of discussion on the subject – and you may rest assured that every single animal killed henceforth will be another nail in the coffin of Serbia’s hope for the European Union.

The conduct and ignorance shown by the Serbian authorities towards the plight of Serbia’s strays cannot and will not be tolerated. Financial means to properly care for these animals and implement large-scale HUMANE sterilisation and vaccination campaigns DO EXIST, but are routinely misused to finance the killings.

We will closely monitor the situation in Svilajnac in the next few days and every information that these animals have been killed will be forwarded and strengthen our case in Brussels.

I cannot imagine that "VIER PFOTEN" likes their money invested in trying to help these animals wasted by your shinters killing them off when there is neither justification nor need (as in proving cases of rabies) for it.

Sincerely,
Diana Hartig
71720 Oberstenfeld
Germany

Svilajnac/ovako ih "hvataju" - a vec su "obelezeni" (ovim crvenim tagom na uvetu??) posle ih voze u ove improvizovana gubilista!! :


Pismo/Apel
Please send protest mail to authorities in Serbia:

1. Mayor of city Svilajnac Mrs.Dobrivoje Budimirovic
phone ++381 35 312 010
fax ++381 35 312 265
soinf@ptt.yu

2. Vice mayor Mrs.Gorica Gajic
phone ++381 35 312 133
fax ++381 35 312 265
soinf@ptt.yu

3. President assembly Svilajnac Mrs. Dr Vladan Rajkovic and veterinary doktor
++381 35 323 565
++381 35 312 433
soinf@ptt.yu

4. Chief of vet inspection of Serbia mrs Sanja Celebicanion - she can stop this mad right now:
mobil ++381 63 753 105

5. Chief vet insp of region of Svilajnac , Mrs Oliveric Jelena - she can stop this mad now
++381 35 323 502
++381 35 322 330

6. Director of veterinary Department of Ministry of Agriculture, mr
Marinkovic
++ 381 63 607 489 and ++ 381 64 868 00 00

Please call them or send them sms. These are numbers of official mobil
phones, short call or sms, You can save life of these poor dogs.
Animal Activist Network Svilajnac - Goran Grujin/ Friend-EPAR/OIPA/Alliance for Animal Rights
http://helphelp.atspace.org

Sent: Thursday, March 13, 2008 5:01 PM
Subject: Serbian Dogs - New Video Footage of Fully Identified Dogs being darted in Street by Masked Catchers

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=zx1yl76Z7PE
Animal Friends,
Svilajnac - Serbia

Some very lucky dogs in the city have been given a full range of treatment thanks to 'Vier Pfoten' (Four Paws), an Austrian animal welfare organisation which has paid to help treat and support these Serbian animals. Because the funding has paid for Sterilisation, anti-Rabies vaccination, Microchiiping etc, the animals have been fitted with Red ident tags in their ears (the circular disk) to signify that they have been fully treated and as such, should not be caught and rounded up as part of the stray capture and kill regime undertaken by the Serbian authorities.
The video above shows a clearly identified Red Tag fitted dog who has been darted in the street by a dog catcher who is wearing a mask to conceal his identity.

What is happening to these dogs after capture ? - we have no information, the authorities in Svilajnac don’t give this information out. We see, today, new dogs in cages - dogs with Red ear tags ! - What is to become of these dogs now ? - a very strong possibility they will be destroyed as all other stray doga usually are in Serbia.

Killed and dumped, or even buried alive.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=v8JDcEz_CzA

A criminal charge was brought yesterday (12th March 2008) by Serbian campaigners against the local authority for these crimes, but today the Shinters (Dog Catchers) put masks on their faces (see video) and are out once again. Campaigners have contacted Mrs. Sanja Celebicanion - Chief of vet. inspections, she just said to them that it is necessary to bring criminal charge against the local authorities - which was done yesterday.

As she is Chief of veterinary inspectors of the Republic of Serbia, her job is TO BAN the LAWLESS work of private firms which work in opposition to Article 46. of the Law of Veterinary of Serbia. The Private firm ‘SZR HIGIJENA TOMIC’, owner is Mr.Zoran Tomic, who travels around all over Serbia, catching dogs for 20 000 Dinar per day, killing dogs on a day-to-day basis. This is a very dirty business, and it is necessary to have the firm deleted from the Register of firms of the Veterinary Department because it is undertaking lawless, un-lawful work.

Four Paws have been made aware of the situation and at this time have persons in Serbia corresponding with the authorities. Please NO CORRESPONDENCE TO Four Paws - they are fully aware of the situation and are working on it. We are all working to address this problem.

Campaigners Goran and Marija have followed this company and have compiled the photos and videos which we have now put on our "Serbian Animals Voice" site, along with lots more photographic footage, at
http://serbiananimalsvoice.wordpress.com/2008/03/13/dogs-in-svilajnac-city/

The authorities and the Private companies who round up and take dogs off to be killed ARE NOT LEGALLY ALLOWED TO CAPTURE AND KILL DOGS IF THEY HAVE IDENT MARKERS IN THEIR EARS !!!

Full details on the Serbian Strays campaign as well as video and stills footage, and who and how to contact in protest are all given at the above (Serbian Animals Voice) site - Please visit us.

Thanks and Regards - Mark
- for all the campaigners in Serbia.