11/10/22 The yard must be fenced, the doghouse must not be in the mud
The municipality of Pribislavec is the first in Croatia to go further in animal protection in its territory.
- Animal Friends Croatia supports the general act of the Meðimurje county: This should be proclaimed at the state level!
The Animal Protection Act requires all cities and municipalities to prescribe the conditions and manner of keeping pets in general acts. Although most local communities have synced those acts with the Animal Protection Act, the municipality of Pribislavec in the Meðimurje county was the first in Croatia to go further in animal protection in its territory. The conditions of keeping pets, dogs primarily, were regulated by the provisions of its Decision on the conditions and manner of keeping dogs, cats, and other pets from 2022.
For example, the Decision of Pribislavec states that a dog mustn’t be tethered. The whole area or part of the area of at least 30 m2 per dog, which is intended for its free movement, must be protected from direct sunlight exposure and other adverse weather conditions. This area should also be fenced to prevent the dog from jumping over the fence, slipping under it, or skidding out into the public place without a leash and supervision. The dog mustn’t be kept permanently in the kennel, i.e., in areas or part of a yard without enabling free movement outside that area, or at an address different from its residence or the residence of the guardian. If necessary, the dog must have access to stay in the house. If situated in the yard, the guardian must provide a house of the appropriate size, and the space of 1 meter below and around the dog house must have a concrete base. If the caretaker violates this, the dog can be taken away from him at his expense.
The pet’s general care is also given, so the caretaker must ensure the pet’s condition is checked at least once a day and more often if necessary. The municipal monitor of Pribislavec verifies whether all dogs are microchipped and vaccinated against rabies. Furthermore, everyone must get their dogs and cats vaccinated against the most common infectious diseases, cleaned of external and internal parasites, and castrated, except for registered breeding and justified recorded exceptions.
Animal Friends Croatia, which stands up for responsible guardianship and the reduction of the number of abandoned animals, commended the governing bodies of the municipality of Pribislavec for adopting such specific conditions for keeping pets, bearing in mind the importance of responsible animal care. This has set an excellent example for other local self-government units, which can also operate preventatively through their general acts and decrease the number of abandoned animals whose care they have to finance.
“Dogs and cats are domesticated animals that depend on humans for food, water, veterinary care, breeding control, shelter and safety, and cannot survive on their own. No one has to have a dog or a cat in their care. Still, in case they decide to do so, they should take responsibility which includes enough time and money to suffice all the physical and psychological needs of a living being that becomes a new family member”, Animal Friends Croatia warns.
They add this is precisely the reason why the provisions of The decision of the municipality of Pribislavec are an example that not only other local units of self-government should follow but should also be proclaimed at the national level! “Not keeping a dog on a chain, vaccination, cleaning from internal and external parasites, castration and other necessities are not above standards of keeping animals, but imply a normal, wanted and responsible care of a pet. If someone cannot ensure these conditions, they should not get a pet in the first place”, Animal Friends Croatia concludes.