*WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT *
Our organization has received with concern the reports of activists for the killing of dogs through poisoning, in the Matiqan neighborhood of Prishtina, but unfortunately, this is happening in many other places in Kosovo.
One of the latest cases of organized killing of dogs, we had the opportunity to see in one of the illegal landfills in the village of Uglar in Fushë Kosova, where during our visit we came across some corpses of dogs, put in bags and brought to this landfill. In addition to the corpses, we also found 4 abandoned puppies. Most likely, the mother of the puppies is in one of the bags. The puppies were rescued by our team and brought to a secure place for now.
The state and the Municipalities of Prishtina and Fushë Kosova must be held accountable for these mass killings, as some of the killed dogs also had identification eartags (meaning operated by contracted veterinarians). Our team is investigating this case in great detail and will take the necessary steps towards this atrocity.
We remind all citizens that the killing and mistreatment of dogs according to Article 346 (paragraphs 1, 2.1, 4) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kosovo, are criminal offenses punishable by imprisonment.
We invite all activists and animal lovers to report such cases to the competent authorities, and if they need help, our organization will advise and assist in reporting these crimes. But additional help is needed because our organization lacks human resources to deal with all the reported cases.
In addition to the fact that the killing of dogs is a very inhumane and illegal phenomenon, the disposal of animal carcasses in this way is very dangerous for humans, as it contains risks of spreading diseases or contamination of the environment.
We also call on all Municipalities to start as soon as possible with projects dedicated to humane and sustainable treatment of the stray dog population through the CNVR method, as well as to promote the responsible keeping of dogs, calling for an end to abandonment, as one of the main sources of the increased number of dogs on the streets, and stop animal abuse, which often results in their killing.
It is the duty of the institutions to take measures to ensure that human-animal coexistence is in full harmony, and to take measures against any actor that endangers this coexistence, while the state is also committed to reducing the number of stray animals steadily (also sheltering dogs as the number of dogs on the street decreases).
Municipalities should also take measures for the safety and health of citizens, ensuring that aggressive dogs (assessed by dog behavior experts) are not allowed to roam the streets, but are provided with shelter and rehabilitation in public or private shelters.
We are advising the Municipalities in solving this problem, proposing effective, humane and sustainable measures, which respect the welfare of the animals, and provide security for the citizens and do not endanger their health on the other hand.