Inspections for keeping of companion animals (dogs, cats) in private homes, shelters, dog hotels, pet stores and temporary treatment centers, are an essential part of dog population management. These inspections are not bureaucratic processes – but are an essential tool to prevent the abuse, neglect and abandonment of dogs by irresponsible keepers (owners) and the prevention of various zoonotic diseases. Regular inspections can ensure that all animals are properly cared for, while also contributing to reducing the number of stray animals. According to legal provisions, the Food and Veterinary Agency (FVA) is in charge of veterinary inspections in Kosovo.

FVA has a huge responsibility – from inspection of border points, supermarkets, meat sellers, slaughterhouses, farms and inspections for keeping companion animals in private homes and shelters/treatment centers. However, the AUV’s ability to enforce the laws in force and protect animals is being seriously compromised due to the lack of veterinary inspectors and other legal mechanisms, which are not being treated with due seriousness by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development (MAFRD). During 2022, some inspectors were added, but not for companion animals or even the issue of stray dogs, but in general for inspections at FVA. In all these years, all public projects have been organized mainly without notifying citizens and misusing public money, and yet our institutions still do not appoint enough inspectors so that the issue of stray dogs is not left aside.

Considering the many visits that inspectors have to make, the current number of inspectors is extremely insufficient. This burden makes it impossible for them to effectively enforce the laws they are charged with upholding, resulting in an unfair burden on both the animals and society itself. It has been a known fact for over a decade that the FVA is understaffed for the responsibilities it has. We thank the FVA inspectors who, in recent months, have tried to inspect as many cases as possible that we have reported to them, sometimes even working outside of their agendas and contractual obligations (weekend work or holidays). We greatly appreciate that the FVA Inspectorate and the Directorate for Animal Health and Welfare is more active and more accessible for cases involving dogs with and without keepers (owners). However, much more needs to be done by all the actors involved, especially the MAFRD.

We urgently call on the MAFRD to prioritize this issue and increase the number of veterinary inspectors exponentially. Bureaucratic obstacles or legal restrictions should not serve as an excuse for inaction. Instead, we see it as the duty of the Government to change and improve the laws to ensure the efficient work of all institutions and officials in Kosovo.

According to the current Animal Welfare Law, the MAFRD is responsible for drafting an administrative instruction (AI) that will set standards for the keeping of companion animals, including dogs. This AI will serve as a concrete guide to ensure the highest possible animal welfare. However, so far, there is no action in this regard and we have recently requested that this AI be drafted as soon as possible.

We would also like to point out that the AI for breeders of companion animals, which was sent by the FVA to the MAFRD for approval in September 2021, has not yet been revised or approved. This AI, too, is a vital component in dog population management.

It is important to note that the above steps are foreseen in the action plan of the National Strategy for the Management and Control of Dogs with and without Owners, approved in October 2022.

Despite this, the implementation of the National Strategy has stagnated because the Government of Kosovo has not yet allocated a budget. But budget allocation is not the only success factor in improving the conditions of dogs. MAFRD, as one of the main institutions for the proper implementation of the legislation related to the management of the dog population, has the opportunity to make changes even within the existing restrictions.

We ask the MAFRD to use its authority to increase the number of veterinary inspectors, approve the AI for breeders of companion animals and speed up the drafting and implementation of the AI for the regulation of keeping companion animals.

We believe that these actions, already foreseen in the National Strategy, are not only possible but necessary for the health and well-being of people and companion animals in Kosovo.