People see stray animals looking for food in the garbage, and most people would not want to see them at all. To many people, stray animals are just a nuisance, look dirty and spread diseases. They do not care where stray animals go, as long as they are gone from their neighborhoods.

The truth is that even stray animals are victims. These animals too would prefer to have a home in a family that offers them care and love. Many of them even had homes, until they were abandoned by people. Many of them, were born on the street and know nothing but suffering.

On #WorldStrayAnimalsDay, we call on all people to show empathy for animals, not to abandon them, not to mistreat them and to help animals on the street with anything they have. If each of us contributes in this direction, the number of animals on the street will be significantly reduced.

Since its establishment, our organization has been committed to finding sustainable solutions for managing the population of dogs with and without owners:

• The situation with stray dogs and the need for urgent action has been raised to the highest levels of government
  – We have made more than 400 monitoring visits to the veterinary centers that have implemented CNVR projects and in the shelters of stray animals
• Administrative Instruction (MAFRD) 02/2018 on Identification and registration of companion animals has been amended, to make it mandatory to register dogs with keepers (owners)
• The Administrative Instruction on Control and Licensing of Companion Breeders has been drafted and sent for approval to MAFRD
• With the support of StrayCoCo, we assisted the FVA in installing the dog registration component in the existing FVA animal registration database
• The proposal for a national strategy for the management of the dog population was drafted, after which the Government (MLGA) established the working group for drafting the state strategic document for the management of the dog population
• The Administrative Instruction for shelters of companion animals is being drafted
• In collaboration with StrayCoCo, an awareness campaign has been launched for responsible keeping of companion animals, and with the Dodona Theater, the theatre play “Teo, the street dog” has been produced to raise the awareness and sensitivity of children in relation to street animals.
• Work is underway to continue local level institutional meetings (with municipalities) to assist them in monitoring projects related to the management of dogs with and without owners
• In cooperation with the Basic Prosecution Offices and the Police, animal abusers are being identified and criminal charges are being filed against animal abusers and organizers of dogfights
• In cooperation with the Academy of Justice, and with the support of StrayCoCo, in May a training will be organized with prosecutors, judges and police investigators, for criminal offenses of animal abuse, which will be led by experts from our partner organization from Switzerland, Stiftung für das Tier im Recht (TIR).