06/20/03 Companion Animals Abandonment
Campaign of Animal Friends against companion animals abandonment before oncoming summer holidays
THE SEASIDE FOR THE FAMILY, THE STREET FOR THE DOG, THIS YEAR TOO?!?
This year also, Animal Friends, in collaboration with the City department of agriculture, organizes a campaign to bring into the public eye that there is still the problem of companion animals' abandonment prior to going away on holiday. Last year's experiences showed us that there are many negligent companion animals guardians who give greater importance to few days on a holiday than to their animals. Therefore we want to use this opportunity to appeal such pet owners to think twice before they reach drastic solutions and abandon their four-legged friends.
On the contrary, there is a great chance that the destiny of their, up until that moment, family members, will be similar to tragic or at least uncertain endings of Hollywood blockbusters' scenarios.
After few weeks of long wandering round city streets, searching for food, water and suddenly gone family, abandoned animals could end up ran over by cars or in the hands of teenagers with pervert minds and attentions. It is likely that they will end up in Zagreb's dog pound where they can stay for ten days, and then are deported to pet asylum Dumovec. Last few days there's been quite a fuss, among the media and animal rights activists, around the asylum Dumovec. For what should be a shelter for abandoned, unwanted, lost and strayed animals, turned out to be very similar to Nazi's concentration camps; there is no even basic hygiene, the 'sheltered' animals are starved to death, and asylum owns a convenient crematorium.
Therefore, Animal Friends will this year again, through media and direct actions on the streets, appeal to our co-citizens that they shouldn't leave their dogs (or cats) to sweet-talking asylum owners with suspicious attentions.
We are also concerned about these tropical heats and heat waves which strike our city, so we ask all media to spread our appeal to citizens. We ask the people to provide bowls with fresh water to their own animals, as well as those that live in their backyards or wander round their neighborhoods. They should show some compassion and install bowls with fresh water wherever is possible and wherever they see animals (dogs, cats, birds) that are dying of thirst.
Because, compassion toward animals is just a little step to compassion toward people.
