Help stray animals in Europe
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In the U.K, if a dog hasn’t be claimed within 7 days after being found roaming free, they legally become property to kennels.. it is then up to kennels to decide weather to keep them, or, with vetinary assistance, put them to sleep. Kennels are generally well kept and the dogs don’t suffer too much.
In many parts of Europe, however, this isn’t quite the case. Particularly in the countryside and in the hills of places such as Croatia, Macedonia, Albania, Greece and many many more, people often abandon their animals when they become too “expensive” or if they develop an injury or illness the owners can’t afford to fix.
While living in a van, I drove through Croatia, this was the place I first saw how big the problem of stray cats and dogs really was... in the cities or towns it wasn’t so bad, restaurants often through old food out the back and the dogs would know where to get food or drink, but in the hills, dogs lay near laybys, skin and bone, come wind or rain and no one seemed to care. The photo you can see here was in a lay-by on a very busy road, cars continued to pull in, look at the view, take selfies with their lovely new phones and long, bleached hair, but got back in their new shiny cars and sped off without a single bit of acknowledgement that a living, breathing, creature was struggling, scared and alone right beside them. As much as I would of loved to escort the dog to a city or town, he was afraid every time I rose my hand or tried to reach him, I can only imagine why that was. I emptied a few tins of peas on the road, and left, sobbing as I continued on the road of absolute animal lover nightmares!
But It’s not just dogs....
in 2016 I drive through Albania, I saw a donkey in the distance eating dead grass on the side of the road, I hopped out the van and walk over to cuddle it, it had burrs all over its face and sticks all tangled in its tail, I picked it all out and groomed him. At this point I wasn’t aware of its broken leg.... I looked down to the ground and realised the donkey was walking on a snapped hoof, the bone was outside the skin but it was all healed up, flies and other insects continued to feast on the flesh around it. I couldn’t contain my tears, I was mortified. That poor animal had gone through all that pain and was so strong it continued to walk on this injury, trying to find food. I called the police and some vets to ask if they could put him down but they laughed and hung up the phone.
I gave him all the food and water I had and, as heartbreaking as it was, I had to leave him there.
It is perfectly legal to take a dog from the streets and keep it as your own, but to be able to keep it, the dog needs to be vaccinated, microchipped and have a passport. You can also go through adoption agencies, just type into google, something like “adopt dog from Greece” or “adopt dog from Albania” etc... you’ll find something
I’m setting up this go fund me, so that, if, the capacity is reached, I could use it to either, (depending on when I reach the goal, if my circumstances are right) take a dog off the streets myself, or, if my circumstances at the time mean I cant support a dog, give the money to charities or simply use it to by food and water for the dogs I see along my travels. If the limit is exceeded, I have to open my own shelter in Croatia (this is where I had experience with my first stray in the second photo with me in an orange headband!)
So next time time you might think about buying a coffee from Starbucks, or another pot of nail varnish you don’t really need... please think about donating to this cause instead!
In the U.K, if a dog hasn’t be claimed within 7 days after being found roaming free, they legally become property to kennels.. it is then up to kennels to decide weather to keep them, or, with vetinary assistance, put them to sleep. Kennels are generally well kept and the dogs don’t suffer too much.
In many parts of Europe, however, this isn’t quite the case. Particularly in the countryside and in the hills of places such as Croatia, Macedonia, Albania, Greece and many many more, people often abandon their animals when they become too “expensive” or if they develop an injury or illness the owners can’t afford to fix.
While living in a van, I drove through Croatia, this was the place I first saw how big the problem of stray cats and dogs really was... in the cities or towns it wasn’t so bad, restaurants often through old food out the back and the dogs would know where to get food or drink, but in the hills, dogs lay near laybys, skin and bone, come wind or rain and no one seemed to care. The photo you can see here was in a lay-by on a very busy road, cars continued to pull in, look at the view, take selfies with their lovely new phones and long, bleached hair, but got back in their new shiny cars and sped off without a single bit of acknowledgement that a living, breathing, creature was struggling, scared and alone right beside them. As much as I would of loved to escort the dog to a city or town, he was afraid every time I rose my hand or tried to reach him, I can only imagine why that was. I emptied a few tins of peas on the road, and left, sobbing as I continued on the road of absolute animal lover nightmares!
But It’s not just dogs....
in 2016 I drive through Albania, I saw a donkey in the distance eating dead grass on the side of the road, I hopped out the van and walk over to cuddle it, it had burrs all over its face and sticks all tangled in its tail, I picked it all out and groomed him. At this point I wasn’t aware of its broken leg.... I looked down to the ground and realised the donkey was walking on a snapped hoof, the bone was outside the skin but it was all healed up, flies and other insects continued to feast on the flesh around it. I couldn’t contain my tears, I was mortified. That poor animal had gone through all that pain and was so strong it continued to walk on this injury, trying to find food. I called the police and some vets to ask if they could put him down but they laughed and hung up the phone.
I gave him all the food and water I had and, as heartbreaking as it was, I had to leave him there.
It is perfectly legal to take a dog from the streets and keep it as your own, but to be able to keep it, the dog needs to be vaccinated, microchipped and have a passport. You can also go through adoption agencies, just type into google, something like “adopt dog from Greece” or “adopt dog from Albania” etc... you’ll find something
I’m setting up this go fund me, so that, if, the capacity is reached, I could use it to either, (depending on when I reach the goal, if my circumstances are right) take a dog off the streets myself, or, if my circumstances at the time mean I cant support a dog, give the money to charities or simply use it to by food and water for the dogs I see along my travels. If the limit is exceeded, I have to open my own shelter in Croatia (this is where I had experience with my first stray in the second photo with me in an orange headband!)
So next time time you might think about buying a coffee from Starbucks, or another pot of nail varnish you don’t really need... please think about donating to this cause instead!
Organizer
Daniella Jefferies
Organizer
