On 16 October and at the initiative of the City of Goražde, the Dogs Trust BiH Foundation signed a Memorandum defining cooperation on the establishment and implementation of a self-sustainable, humane and legal system for managing the dog population in the municipalities of Gorazde, Novo Goražde and Čajniče.
In accordance with the new approach of support of the Dogs Trust Foundation, which aims to support only proactive local authorities who have shown initiative and commitment to solving the problem of abandoned dogs exclusively through humane and legally prescribed measures, this document defines the obligations of the mentioned local communities to ensure the establishment of a legal element of the Hygiene Service for Humane Capture of Dogs by the end of January 2025 with the mandatory Dogs Trust’s training of catchers and the use of exclusively humane methods and equipment, as well as budget funds for the efficient functioning of this service, which is a key prerequisite for the implementation of mass sterilization as the most effective humane measure for stabilizing the dog population on the streets.
In the next few months, the Dogs Trust Foundation will also finance, in cooperation with partner veterinary stations, mass neutering campaigns for abandoned dogs in these regions in accordance with the Law on the Protection and Welfare of Animals and the Dogs Trust’s standard operating procedures. In the meantime, all signatories to the Memorandum, the City and Municipality of Gorazde, and the Municipalities of Novo Goražde and Čajniče, have committed to establish their own hygiene service or sign a contract with the hygiene service of the neighboring municipality that is part of the region by January 25, 2025, when the Memorandum expires, in order to continue to implement systematic, humane measures for the management of the dog population independently or with the possible support of the Dogs Trust Foundation.
The Mayor of the City of Goražde, Ernest Imamović, hereby expressed his satisfaction and thanked the Municipal Mayor of the Municipality of Čajniće, Goran Karadžić, as well as the representatives of the Municipality of Novo Goražde, who are included in this agreement, for their readiness for cooperation.
The problem of abandoned dogs, which most of the country continues to deal with, despite the progress in recent years, can be solved permanently and sustainably only with a strong initiative and commitment of the competent authorities to implement the systemic and humane approach prescribed by law and with the cooperation of all local communities.
Dogs Trust continues to support both the improvement of dog welfare and the well-being of the entire community using its expertise and extensive experience in managing the dog population, and the available resources and capacities, but in order for the problem not to continue to be repeated and the available budgets used most efficiently, it is crucial that the initiative and responsibility are taken by the competent authorities, institutions and services, which is why Dogs Trust singles out this initiative as an excellent example for all regions in BiH.
More about our work and for many useful information and resources related to dog population management and dog welfare can be found on our website https://dogstrust.ba/, You Tube channel, and other social networks.
