The Dogs Trust Foundation has donated 400 kg of dog food to support the initiative of the Municipality of Novo Sarajevo, which recently set up the first recycling machine for feeding dogs and cats in the Sarajevo Canton and the Federation of BiH at a location near stage, on Wilson's Promenade.
The recycling machine (orig. Recikomat) was supplied by the company EKO GRAD from Sarajevo, and JP "ONSA" will maintain and fill it, while KJKP "RAD" will empty it.
This humane initiative is important because it represents a progressive step towards responsible waste management as an important part of the system for managing the population of abandoned animals, as well as promoting a humane attitude towards dogs that live in the community through the fault of irresponsible owners.
The recycling machine works so that by inserting 5 plastic bottles, the dispensary dispenses a dose of food for abandoned animals. With each new use, 30 to 40 grams of food drops into the bowl, and next to the food bowl there is a bowl for water. This achieves a double goal – providing food or water for animals in need, and motivating citizens to recycle.
Abandoned animals in search of food visit landfills and containers that are very often near schools and hospitals, so with such positive initiatives, to which we invite all other local self-governments, it is crucial to regulate waste management so that landfills are protected and not placed near frequently visited places. Placing such humane feeders for abandoned animals in designated locations affects both the welfare of animals and the safety of citizens.
Although there are significant developments, solving the problem of abandoned dogs in Sarajevo is still not systematically regulated, and sporadic abandoned dogs and many more cats are forced to suffer cruel living conditions on the street. In addition to mass neutering and vaccination of abandoned animals, which stabilizes the number of these dogs by reducing the inflow of new dogs, it is crucial to work on adequate supervision and all pet owners, prevention and sanctioning of any kind of irresponsibility, especially abandonment or inhumane behaviour as well as to ensure responsible pet acquisition, adequate dog keeping, and humane and efficient adoption.
The problem of stray dogs did not arise overnight, and its solution, if we want it to be sustainable and not to continue to be repeated with all the investments, is a process during which it is inevitable that dogs temporarily stay in the community. Socialized and healthy dogs in the community are a kind of guarantor that new dogs that someone brings or that wander in search of food, and which can be infected, unsterilized and also scared and therefore their behaviour can pose a risk to others, will not stay in your neighborhood. Let us remind ourselves that the root of this problem is the irresponsibility of people and the non-implementation of the humane system prescribed by law, and let us remember to follow the principles of safety near all dogs, and behave in a humane and empathetic manner when treating them.
