Bosnia-Herzegovina has a serious stray problem, we all understand that. What we do not uinderstand is that the government is planning to shut down all private rescue shelters and allow only state shelters carry on the rescue work.

The work done so far by the government has been mostly brutal killings and poisonings, and that has led the public to a conclusion that they have the right to do the same thing, too.

There are many dedicated individuals and groups in Bosnia-Herzegovina who work relentlessly to save strays for adoption. They spay and neuter them, funded by donations. They feed them., funded by donations. They take them to the vet for vaccinations and surgary, funded by donations. There is a vast number of us who help those rescue people, and we will carry on as usual, we will adopt rescued strays, we will donate money for food and medicinal purposes and support in many other ways those who - even at the risk of their lives - keep up this humane work. 

If state shelters functioned half as well as the private ones, it would be good. In many public shelters, however, the dogs live in miserable conditions; cages filled to the maximum. they live in their own fecies and urine, and in severe cases do not get anything to eat or drink.

If Bosnia-Herzegovina still tries to become an EU country, this kind of animal treatment - be it a dog, a cat, a horse etc. - is not within the EU animal welfare legislation. And to close down private shelters will be a death sentence to thousands of dogs, who could have made perfect pets for people in various countries.

Closing down the private shelters is not a solution, it is a declaration of war agains dogs and those who try to help them. And it is not the European way. Neither is it the way of many other countries. 

I have seen a lot during my rescue career, but this is the worst I have come across. No animal activist or pet owner would accept  this as a normal procedure, on the contrary.

Dogs are sentient and logically thinking beings with a wide range of feelings. The life in the streets is not easy, but at least so far they have had rescuers helping them to survive the harsh winters and scorching summers. To close down private shelters will bring the number of strays down, but the cost is too high. 

Humans domesticated the wolf and that was the beginning of our various breeds of dogs. They have been human companions for thousands of years. And this is the way BiH is paying back their loyalty to us? Sad...

Any animal needing a shelter should have a place to go, and in Bosnia-Herzegovina, if only the state shelters would take strays in, the situation would be a disaster the rest of the world would think badly of.

The government is obviously anticipating a similar EU prohoibition that is planned to be accepted on 15th Sept. this year banning all Romanian dogs of entry to EU countries. With due respect, the government's choice of action is not well thoughjt through.