They entered into force in Croatia amendments to the Criminal Code in connection with the abandonment of a pet, domestic or wild animal. For this criminal act the penalty is up to one year in prison, and if the abandonment caused death, the irresponsible owner could go to prison for up to two years.
Penalties for killing and torturing animals are increased to a prison sentence of up to two or three years if the act is committed out of self-interest, and abusers and killers of animals can be sentenced to a security measure prohibiting keeping and acquiring animals for a period of one to five years.
All the above-mentioned news are suggestions that the association "Friends of Animals" sent to the Ministry of Justice and Administration during the work on amendments to the Criminal Code.
The president of the association "Friends of Animals" Luka Oman told "Vreme" that the association started this campaign with a petition on your site, and according to polls, over 80 percent of the population expressed support for this legal change.
"In addition, people demand higher prison sentences for those who torture and kill animals, they don't want to live among abusers, and there is an increasing awareness of the protection and rights of animals," says Oman.
This association also announced that citizens will no longer have to wait for the veterinary inspection to respond to the report of abandonment, but will be able to immediately report the person who abandons the animal to the police.
10.000 abandoned animals every year
In Croatia, according to our interlocutor, over ten thousand animals are abandoned every year, that is, that many end up in shelters. Domestic animals are also abandoned, most often those for which someone has already received state incentives.
"Abandoning animals has all the elements of a criminal offense because whoever abandons an animal knows full well that it is at risk of suffering and death," says Oman.
He explains that an animal can die from being hit by a car, from hunger, thirst, cold or heat, and those that survive to the shelter face life in a cage until they find a new home.
He says that abandoned animals can cause traffic accidents with human casualties, frightened animals can attack someone, and their care is paid for by the community.
"In all of the above, the culprit is the one who left her." Therefore, it is very important for society that animal abandonment is classified as a crime and punishable by prison terms. It is a problem of the whole society, neither the animals nor the community should suffer because of someone's irresponsibility," he adds.
And they also believe that spreading the information that abandoning an animal can lead to up to two years in prison will have a preventive effect and that those who are thinking of abandoning an animal will not risk a prison sentence.
Also, they believe that those who are just planning to get an animal will think about whether they have the time, money and patience to take good care of it for fifteen years or longer.
Prevention is the key
When asked how to take care of already abandoned animals, Oman says that preventive measures are the most important, and that microchipping control has been mandatory in Croatia since 2017, which would mean that cities and municipalities are obliged to visit all homes and check whether all dogs are marked with a microchip.
"The most important preventive measure is the castration of dogs and cats." In Croatia, birth control is mandatory for all pets, and cities and municipalities can determine that castration is a mandatory method of birth control for dogs and cats with prescribed exceptions. "Neutering is mandatory for all abandoned dogs and cats, and many cities finance the neutering of owner's dogs and cats," says Oman.
He emphasizes that shelters can be emptied by adopting animals and calling people not to buy animals.
"It is shameful to buy animals as if they were objects and thus support the cruel pet farming industry with so many abandoned animals. By adopting, the animal is directly saved from the shelter and at the same time frees up a place for an animal that needs it," concludes our interlocutor.
A good example of Slovenia
According to Oman, the country that is an example of good practice in protecting animals from abandonment is Slovenia.
"We don't have to go far to find half-empty shelters that serve to educate and care for animals in need, and are not services for the irresponsibility of citizens." I am referring to Slovenia, which, by introducing order and setting strict rules that are shameful to break, has led to a significant reduction in abandoned animals," says Oman.
He adds that Austria has introduced permits for keeping animals in some of its provinces, that is, everyone who plans to get an animal must first listen to a short course on all the obligations in order to be really sure of their decision.
"And really, having an animal under your care is not an obligation, but a decision, and all obligations and responsibilities should go with the decision," concludes Luka Oman.
In a statement, Friends of Animals point out that the new provisions of the Criminal Code should be the trigger for further legislative changes, and above all, changes to the Animal Protection Act and accompanying regulations. They also believe that it is important to establish an inspection for animal protection and to form a sector for animal protection at the Ministry of Agriculture.
