Our organization calls on the media for mobilization and cooperation in order to improve the situation with dogs on the street.

It is extremely depressing that for many years since the entry into force of the Administrative Instruction (MAFRD) 04/2017 which regulates the treatment of stray dogs with the CNVR method, Kosovo media have never taken concrete steps to inform the public about how to behave with animals or in this case with stray animals and the same ones constantly complain and beg that the dogs on the street disappear like it’s as easy as waving a magic wand.

The local media have never researched or studied sustainable and effective methods of solving the problem with stray dogs and have never addressed the institutions with clear requests for this problem. The institutions of the country, only in the last 2 years are committed to raise this issue at the institutional level while before, they have not even addressed this issue with the seriousness it requires.

Killing street animals is out of the question, and only an uninformed and intolerant society, with no vision, and indifferent towards animals can propose such a thing.

In addition to the lack of empathy and lack of understanding of the situation, it is worth saying that anyone who thinks that by killing stray dogs the problem will be solved, has not done any research, since killing of stray animals has not had (even in other parts of the world ) a positive effect on solving the problem of stray dogs.

Currently, housing stray animals will not have the desired effect as Kosovo does not have the budget to house thousands of dogs in shelters and as a result of the lack of housing for all dogs, many dogs will remain permanently on the street.

Without changing human behavior in society, the situation of stray dogs will remain the same.

Thanks to our tireless work, state structures are laying the foundation for a serious and institutional system of managing the dog population with and without owners (meaning dogs are abandoned and reproduce on the street). The dog population management system starts with registering dogs with owners to prevent one of the sources of the problem such as ABANDONMENT. In Kosovo, the source of the problem has never been addressed, so we constantly have a large number of dogs on the street.

The main sources of the large number of dogs on the streets are: Continuous abandonment of domestic dogs (as companion animals) by humans and reproduction (breeding), sale and import of dogs in an uncontrolled manner by natural and legal people (including veterinarians).

By adjusting the aforementioned aspects (which should be accompanied by active awareness campaigns), the number of dogs on the street will be significantly reduced and the management of a smaller number of dogs on the street will be easier, either by shelter or other humane and sustainable measures.

According to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), where Kosovo is also present as an observer member, and for which it has guaranteed implementation to harmonize policies and legislation with those of the EU in the field of animal welfare and health, the killing is prohibited and the same organization provides guidelines for sustainable and humane treatment of stray dogs as these measures are considered effective.

Legislation in force also provides measures for dogs with irreversible behavior problems that pose a risk to the community, but the real change only happens if we as a society change our attitude towards dogs.

Therefore, with this letter we call on the media to be part of society’s awareness on responsible keeping of the animals we have at home and not to breed and abandon them and how to treat stray dogs so that they not to become aggressive while living on the street.