In northern Croatia, for most dogs who live in Roma (gypsy) villages life is hell. Most Roma people have not been taught that dogs are sentient creatures or that they need basic care like access to clean water and food, so they are often treated with casual brutality, kept chained, seldom fed and often thirsty. To make a bad situation worse, Roma criminals run dog-fighting rings in which huge sums are gambled on which dog will be savaged to death.
To feed this criminality they run puppy mills where dogs are selectively bred for viciousness. Surplus puppies produced are sold to unscrupulous dealers who sell the pups without warning the new owners that the cute puppy they have just bought might be inbred, with resulting health problems and a genetic propensity to become vicious.
Mirkec was found paralysed. Credit: Cakovec Shelter.
As they grow older, or get sick or injured, these dogs are discarded, thrown aside and left to suffer for weeks, and then to die alone. Dogs like Mirkec, who lay neglected for weeks, terribly injured, and with his flattened, paralysed legs rotting underneath huge matts of fur.
Mirkec was unbelievably lucky to be found in a Roma village by our partners from the Cakovec animal shelter. If they had not spotted this sad immobile pile of fur on the side of the road, he would undoubtedly be dead by now.
Instead, our partner team rushed him for emergency treatment. Although Mirkec’s back legs could not be saved, the shelter staff never gave up on him - and he is now living his best life – rehabilitated and re-homed, and safe forever.
Miro was in such terrible condition when we found him, we thought he was dead, but our partner team saved him. Credit: Cakovec Shelter.
Mirkec and Miro were rescued, but many dogs are not so lucky. Will you help us rush aid to the neglected, dumped dogs of northern Croatia?
Dogs like Rita and Gustl - eaten alive by scabies mites and left untreated so that their infected skin was rotting away - were saved by the Cakovec team…
…Miro was found nearly dead after being badly wounded in a dog fight - but emergency surgery saved his life…
Our teams will never get used to the unspeakable cruelty and neglect they encounter in these Roma backwaters, where no-one else cares and often even police are reluctant to go. Prosecutions for animal abuse usually end up with meaningless unenforceable fines that are no deterrent.
Credit: Cakovec Shelter.
We are doing our very best to help the animals in Roma villages. Our partner teams regularly visit the Roma villages to rescue, rehabilitate and re-home suffering dogs.
Our teams have confiscated over 2,700 dogs so far, and emptied several Roma villages completely of injured, unsterilised or sick dogs – only to find that new puppies, dogs, and sick and sad cases have appeared by the time they visit again. The puppy nursery is overflowing with new arrivals rescued from snowy streets.
While the situation is improving slowly, the task is relentless and vigilance must be constant. The shelter is home to over 600 dogs, with monthly vet bills of thousands of euros, and six tons of food required each month.
Special needs animals need extra-special care after immense suffering on the streets.
Can they count on you today?
Credit: NFA/Dejan Radic
Puppies and dogs with special needs also receive round the clock care in heated indoor enclosures, and many of the older enclosures need continual refurbishment.
So please, DONATE today, and help Cakovec shelter carry on this essential work for dogs in distress. Your donation now WILL make a very real difference in the lives of desperate puppies and dogs.
For the animals,
Gloria Davies (and Max and Flora!)
Founder
Network for Animals
P.S: It is hard to imagine abandoning sick and injured gypsy dogs to suffer and die without care or warmth. Our team finds these dogs and saves them. Please donate as much as you can today to save animal lives.
Banner credit: EPA