Solving the problem of abandoned animals

ORCA provides advisory support to local municipalities for developing and conducting humane and efficient programmes for control of population of abandoned animals. We do that by evaluating the current state, providing trainings, and supporting creation of control programmes which are based on recommendations of World Health Organisation (WHO), World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and World Society for Protection of Animals (WSPA) and adjusted to specific circumstances of the given municipality.

Abandoned animals represent health, security, social and ecological problem, and at the same time their animal welfare is severely endangered. Programs that control population of abandoned animals must resolve this problem efficiently, without causing unnecessary suffer to animals.

According to the Animal Welfare Law („Official Gazette of Republic of Serbia”, nr. 41/09), local municipalities are obliged to develop and implement program for control and reduction of populations of abandoned dogs and cats adjusted to specific circumstances of the given environment (Article 54 Paragraph 1). Local municipality unit is obliged to: provide shelter if there are abandoned animals on its territory (Article 66 Paragraph 1), to ensure collecting, transport and taking care of abandoned and lost animals, as well as to provide them assistance, care and shelter in accordance to this Law (Article 66 Paragraph 1).

Humane and efficient control programs rely on the concept of responsible ownership that can significantly reduce number of abandoned animals and problems related to them. Also, taken that ecology of abandoned animals is connected to human activities, population control of these animals must be accompanied by changes in behavior of the entire community (OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Standards Commission, Guidelines on Stray Dog Population Control).