“The mayor should look at the incorrect documentation” – a sentence repeated countless times in the last 10 months. To him, the members of the communal department and other associations… ignored because no one cares that the city’s signature is on a document that clearly states that the number of dogs in the shelter increased by 40 in one month and that on the last day of that month, the same amount of the food was spent in the shelter as on the first day of that month. The weight from the first to the thirtieth is the same every month. The number of caught and brought dogs often increased by 20 or 40 in that period. But the amount of food given to them remains the same.
Interestingly, this document does not have information about any dog leaving the shelter in 365 days.
Many were brought. Who knows which one because nothing is written about them. Neither the colour, the size, nor where they are located. This does not matter to the Vet Center, which runs the City Shelter, or to the City, which signs it. The only information that is stated in the diary that monitors the work of the shelter is – “so many were caught, and so many were charged“.
Where were they caught? What condition are they in? What gender are they? Did they once have a home, and were the owners who evicted them punished? That doesn’t matter to anyone. The number is important, the payment is made by the number.
“Only two hygienists are working in the shelter; we don’t have time to photograph and publish them” – and the hourly rates they write in the diary for the work of hygienists in the field are such that 4 people could hardly do them.
Are all workers’ rights being violated in the shelter or are citizens’ tax money being stolen? Nobody cares.
Nobody cared even when the Mayor decided to put his signature on the contract with the Vet Center, which is currently under investigation by Transparency International for corruption, and increases their budget by 25,000 euros. Starting this year, 85,000 euros of citizens’ taxes will be given to those who do not allow the same citizens to enter the shelter, even though the law stipulates that the minimum amount of work with parties is 8 hours a day.
The same clinic chipped the dog twice and charged twice. One to the Dog’s Trust foundation, and one to the family that adopted the dog. Despite the report, they were not punished because it was “accidental”. The self-proclaimed best vet in town who yells at volunteers accidentally put his signature and stamp twice on the same page of the animal’s passport and accidentally issued a receipt twice.
It is obvious to any reasonable person that he could have enrolled in veterinary medicine only by chance because his love for animals was certainly not a decisive factor.
Not a single animal adopted from the shelter has ever been published on the city page or on the recently created page of the shelter (which somehow managed to disappear from social networks). Although, we should be fair and mention the lady who herself proudly posted in the comments a photo of her dog ON A CHAIN, which she humanely adopted from the city shelter.
You should be honest and mention the windows and fences that have been installed. Too proudly advertised on social media in posts that seem to have forgotten to mention that both the windows and the drain were made after the inspection issued an order to make them and charged a fine for not having them.
The tragedy of the fact that the City of Banja Luka is proud of the fact that their shelter recently has windows will not be discussed on this occasion.
We will talk about all the proposals that UG WagWag presented to the City Administration in the last 10 months and their reaction to them:
(20-06-2021) WagWag applies to a public call for co-financing of citizens’ associations with the aim of creating a network with the help of which it would be easier to adopt and save animals – rejected
A large number of volunteers contact WagWag pointing out the problem of not being able to volunteer at the City shelter and asking for help.
(17-07-2021) WagWag submits to Milada Šukalo a proposal for entirely free assistance in the organization of the work of the shelter and the involvement of volunteers in the activities in the shelter, following the example of the shelter in Osijek, which is run by volunteers and with which UG WagWag has cooperation and approval to transfer good practices to the Banja Luka shelter. Submitted and elaborated proposal of self-sustaining shelter – proposal was completely ignored
Many volunteers highlight the problem of a large number of street cats and the fact that they themselves spend money on sterilization and treatment of street cats.
(17-09-2021) WagWag sends a request for support for the cat sterilization project (2500 euros which would be paid to veterinary clinics and thus enable volunteers to reduce the population of street cats). The request was sent to the addresses of the municipal department, the mayor and the city administration – received a short answer that the city does not have a budget for this problem
(15-11-2021) A request for a meeting sent to the utility department to draw attention to all the problems pointed out by the volunteers
(15-12-2021) The first meeting with the city administration. WagWag offers help with the organization of volunteers, free creation of a shelter page, free photography of all animals and presents the proposal of a self-sustaining shelter run by volunteers – claims that the Shelter is unconditional for the entry of volunteers, but at the same time somehow more than conditional for the animals to stay 24 hours a day
(11-12-2021) WagWag is applying for co-financing of a project to educate citizens about the problem and create statistics on the actual number of stray and injured animals on the streets of the city in the amount of 2000 KM – the application was rejected
Councilor Rosić, in search of his dog, comes across a terrible situation in the shelter in Ramići and points out the problem at the session
(28-12-2021) Received an invitation to look at the new shelter in Manjača. Open days promised once a month. They promised windows in the shortest possible time
(25-01-2022) Since the open houses did not happen after a month as promised, UG WagWag invites the utilities department to another meeting – the proposal was ignored
(18-04-2022) UG is once again applying for a public call for co-financing projects of citizens’ associations in an attempt to develop a system that would enable each of the volunteers to present their problems and monitor the adoption of the animals they helped, as well as raising awareness among young people about this problem – co-financing was refused
(19-04-2022) The city administration initiates a meeting with associations for animal protection, inspectors and the clinic that runs the shelter – for every proposal for a solution presented by UG Vardi and UG WagWag, 3 to 5 problems were presented, due to which the problem allegedly cannot be solved
Volunteers turn to the association with the desire to have access to the shelter
(24-06-2022) Contacted the president of the assembly – ignored
Volunteers turn to the association with the desire to have access to the shelter
UG WagWag contacts councilor Rosić and relays the volunteer’s request for help
(29-06-2022) The head of the department claims at the session that the situation in the shelter is the “best in the region”
(02-07-2022) On the initiative of councilor Rosić, a visit was organized during which a large number of sick animals were found, and by checking the chips, it was determined that most of the animals had not been veterinary processed. WagWag again offers the proposal of a self-sustaining shelter run by volunteers, emphasizes the willingness of 4 veterinary clinics (which are NOT under investigation for corruption) to participate in the work of the shelter with volunteers and offers free organization of all activities – during the visit, open days are promised
(04-07-2022) UG WagWag goes public with videos of the horrifying conditions in the shelter
(06-07-2022) At the invitation of the mayor, a meeting is held with all associations – a promised solution to the problem
(09-07-2022) A meeting was held where the associations stated as a primary priority the entry of volunteers into the shelter, the creation of a page where there is detailed information (admission date, microchip number, age, sex, where it was found) about each individual in separate albums, installation of windows and drains (previously reported inspection) and employment of an shelter coordinator – for everything except construction works, a deadline of 10 days was promised
(13-07-2022) A meeting with the veterinary inspection where the action of chipping and vaccination of animals was agreed – the deadline for the start of the action that was agreed is 2 months
(14-07-2022) WagWag sends an example of a “Memorandum for volunteers“, an example of “Shelter Etiquette” and “Shelter Rulebook” modelled after the Shelter in Osijek, which is run by volunteers
(19-07-2022) The communal department corrects the documentation in a way that conditions the freedom of movement and activities of volunteers
(28-07-2022) UG WagWag submits a proposal for a “Form for basic information about an individual” which would contain all the information that is currently missing in the shelter log – ignored
(05-08-2022) A meeting of the City Administration, volunteers and several representatives of the animal protection association was held – WagWag refuses to come with the explanation that it does not take cooperation with the city seriously after breaking through all the deadlines
(10-08-2022) UG WagWag refuses to sign the memorandum on cooperation with the explanation that the work of the shelter and the City Administration is frivolous and that the association does not want to be associated with the Vet Center, which is under investigation for corruption, and allow their workers to control the movement of volunteers through the shelter as if they were prisoners, not people who they engage in humane work and sacrifice their money and free time
(22-08-2022) The city administration goes public with the information that the Dog Police has been formed – all the media attention is focused on the collection of excrement and wearing a muzzle, while the penalties for throwing out animals, keeping them in bad conditions or uncontrolled driving are not mentioned
(08-09-2022) The city administration organizes a meeting where UG WagWag does not attend
(15-09-2022) The city administration organizes a meeting with the inspection and communal police at which UG WagWag does not attend – it is important to emphasize that the inspection respects the agreements and the only objection to the work is the delay in finding a way for the owners to legally commit to sterilisation.
UG Vardi contacts UG WagWag and reports that Milada Šukalo suggested that the cat problem be included in the memorandum and that it is necessary to write a project with a proposed solution
(20-09-2022) UG WagWag indicates that it has a ready team of volunteers who can organize the sterilization of up to 30 animals per month and submits the cat sterilization project (seventh and eighth time) to the municipal department and Milada Šukalo – to this day there is no feedback
There is no day for volunteers. There are no open days.
During this time, WagWag has created an SOS app that helps rescue stray animals and makes it easier to see the real extent of the problem, as well as make it easier to find a lost pet. On three occasions, the association received funds for the sterilization of over 10 street cats in a month, formed a team of 20 volunteers who help with sterilization and participated in numerous shocking cases of rescuing stray and injured animals. In the last 2 months, the Association’s social media posts reached more than a million people. In addition, six educations were held in smaller municipalities of the Republika Srpska on the proper treatment of stray and owned animals. Over 150 high school and elementary school students participated in these educations. Over 70 animals were rescued from the streets.
No budget, and no help from the system. At the same time offering help to those who need to help us.
THIS TEXT WAS WRITTEN AT THE INITIATIVE OF VOLUNTEERS
On the initiative of volunteers, we have been praying for our city for over 10 months
At the initiative of volunteers, we come up with solutions for which they close the door in our face
At the initiative of volunteers, we scream at the top of our lungs that we can’t do it anymore
ON THE LAST DAY OF HIS LIFE, GORAN KARANOVIĆ WROTE THAT THERE WAS NO WAY TO FIGHT ANYMORE!
DOZENS OF OTHERS WRITE THAT THEY HAVE NO MORE WAYS. WE TRANSFER THE CITY OF TEARS TO PEOPLE WHO ARE RUNNING OUT OF STRENGTH AND WHO ARE SCREAMING THAT THEY NEED HELP. OUR CITY REMAINS DEAF AND BLIND TO THESE TEARS.
