Activists- Caution - Orca Animal Organization in Serbia Requesting Funds

[Guest guest]

 

Marijo Gillis [TwinkiePerkyEbby]

Thursday, April 28, 2005 7:29 PM

Orca Beograd

Activists- Caution - Orca Animal Organization in Serbia

Requesting Funds

 

Mr. Burazerovic,

Orca Beograd

Serbia

 

I dare say Mr. Burazerovic, that you have a well written, cookie cutter

response to everyone who contacts your organization, The verbiage you

use, appears to resemble that of WSPA and the facts you detail, could

easily be applied to animal issues in any part of the globe.

 

I am sad to say that your credibility and that of the organization that

you run is very unhealthy and becoming more unhealthy every day. Animal

advocates in Belgrade claim that you work complicity with government

officials and promote euthanasia and not adoptive services. You ask for

money ! Serb citizens claim that your organization is quite interested

in obtaining funds but does not put those funds to work to advance

animal welfare in Serbia.

 

Clearly, Mr. Burazerovic, until my organization sees proof and hears

back from contacts in Belgrade that you and ORCA do indeed " work " to

benefit the neglected and abused animal population, you will most

certainly not be receiving any funds from our organization or my

family's foundation. Further, we will caution citizens around the world

to use prudence when opening their hearts and wallets to organizations

in Serbia.

 

 

Marijo Anne Gillis - Founder

Welfare for Animals in Greece

Welfare for Animals Global, Inc.

(a New York City non-profit advocacy & political lobby group, reaching

the world)

Tel. (212) 427-0587 Fax (212) 427-6381

E-Mail Twinkieperkyebby

 

" Compassion for all life - the only way to a better world "

-

Orca Beograd <orcabeograd

Marijo Gillis <TwinkiePerkyEbby

Thursday, April 28, 2005 4:01 PM

Re: Animal Abuse in Serbia

 

Dear Mr Gillis,

 

We have received your e-mail expressing your concern over mistreatment

of animals in our country. Unfortunately, some of your concerns are well

founded.

 

The present state of animal protection in Serbia is at an unsatisfactory

level. A lack of interest and knowledge about the necessity to protect

animals; indifference and the unwillingness to recognize the basic needs

of animals (as well as the implications an irresponsible attitude

towards animals can have on the standard of living); even disrespect of

animals and the people who care for them - are traditional concepts in

our society. A bad social, political and economic situation, as well as

a degradation of moral values and overall standard of living in the past

two decades, have significantly facilitated the aforementioned concepts,

but cannot be considered as their sole cause.

 

The approach of the media to the problem of the protection of animals in

our country is inadequate. TV and radio programs, as well as newspaper

articles about the well-being of animals and the need to protect them

only exceptionally address the issue or totally ignore it. The problems

that occur between people and animals is approached without valid

criticism, and animals and their natural patterns of behaviour are

accused for the occurrence of these problems, not the irresponsible and

inappropriate attitude that the citizens and social institutions have

towards the prevention and the solution of these problems. Little

importance is given to the position and the reactions of societies for

the protection of animals. On the other hand, in entertaining shows and

newspaper columns a great importance is attached to inappropriate ways

of animal exploitation, which offends the animals' dignity or even

inflicts pain on them. Such events are commented as being funny and

amusing, with an approving attitude. In this way, the viewers are daily

exposed to many inappropriate attitudes to animals and are influenced to

think about them in a wrongful way - or not to think about them at all.

 

Curriculums in primary and secondary schools in our country do not

devote due attention to topics concerned with the protection of animals,

as entities. For educating pupils to respect animals and to treat them

with respect, a lot more credit can be given to the initiative of

individual teachers than to a systematic approach of this problem in the

school curriculums. Even units that can be found in the biology

curriculum dealing with ecology do not considerably contribute to

developing awareness: the meaning of the phrase " ecology " does not

extend beyond the preservation of biodiversity and environmental

protection against pollution. In short, a responsible attitude to

animals as entities is not systematically dealt with in school

curriculums in this country.

 

Legal regulations concerning the protection of animals in the Republic

of Serbia are insufficient, and the existing regulations have many

shortcomings:

- they are not adequate for achieving the well-being of

animals, that is, they are not based on the premise of protecting the

well-being of animals and they do not include all animal species;

- they are not precisely formulated;

- they are not adequately supported by the institutions, which

in the majority of cases prevent their execution.

- the public does not recognize them as relevant, so they are

not applied even in cases when they are supported by institutions;

- they are not followed by adequate sanctions in accordance

with a penal policy, whose aim would be a general and a special

prevention;

- they are not in accordance with the European standards.

 

Cruel abuse of animals is very frequent in our country. Frequent cases

of mutilation, blinding and killing of animals by beating them to death,

by stoning them, hanging and setting them on fire, and by other cruel

methods, are a true image of the state of animal protection in Serbia.

They are also indicators of the increase in overall aggression and the

increase of tolerance towards these patterns of behavior as well.

Although abusers belong to all age groups, the percentage of minors is

especially disturbing, to which our society does not attach enough

importance because of the widely accepted attitude that " child's play "

should not be taken seriously.

 

Apart from the fact, that cases of cruel maltreatment and killing of

animals occur in individual cases, in our country they are also

associated with certain religious and quasi-religious rites, such as

those that are practiced by the Satanists. Ritual slaughter of dogs,

cats, or chickens represents a common an integral part of the Satanist

rites, which are evermore spreading in our country.

 

There is a big number of abandoned animals in Serbia and in many towns

the problem of strays is dealt with in inhumane way (shooting, poisoning

or inhuman catching by the dog catchers). However, this does not occur

everywhere. In 2001 the situation in OVCA- Belgrade was particularly

bad. (You can find the photographs from Belgrade pound on our site). The

situation has been improving year after year and it is much better now.

Hygiene is much improved, animals are regularly fed and euthanasia is

done in humane way by veterinary surgeons. Re-homing is also a

possibility however, unfortunately, only a small number of animals find

new owners because simply there are so many of them. Nevertheless,

Belgrade still does not have a proper shelter for abandoned animals,

there are many cases of poisoning by individual people (using

" kreozan " ), the number of neutered animals is not satisfactory, etc..

 

There is a good will in Belgrade to solve the problem of homeless

animals in humane way. The Steering Committee, a body of the City

Assembly Executive Council, was thus established to deal with these

issues. Six Belgrade associations entered the Committee through their

representative. The Draft Programme for dealing with the problem of

homeless animals has been produced and submitted to the authorities.

 

As you yourself have emphasized our country is recovering after years of

war and is going through a difficult process of transition. In this

context protection of animals does not present a priority. ORCA and

other organizations for the protection of animals are trying to point to

the necessity of caring about the animals and humane treatment of them.

ORCA has initiated a campaign " The Law Deals with the Chaos " aiming at

the introduction of law covering the protection of animals which our

country still does not have. ORCA also works a lot with children and is

trying to introduce learning about the responsible attitude towards

animals into the educational system in the Republic of Serbia. There are

other campaigns and initiatives as well. You can find more about them on

www.orca.org.yu <http://www.orca.org.yu/> .

 

We find assistance from foreign organizations and individual donors

priceless. I hope that you will possibly also assist us in a concrete

way. Namely, since 2000 ORCA has been working hard on reducing the

suffering of the animals. Big part of this work has been financed by

generous individuals who love animals. Each year ORCA receives over 1500

calls and e-mails. Many of them are seeking help or reports of terrible

cases of mistreatment of animals. Each of these was reported to the

relevant authorities. We need your help to be able to continue.

 

If you would like to financially assist us from abroad please do contact

us and we will be glad to advise you on how to do it. Any donation will

be more then welcome and directed towards our campaigns in protecting

the animals.

 

 

Finally, let us thank you once again on behalf of many people in our

country who find the wellbeing of animals important, for your interest.

 

Best Regards,

 

Elvir Burazerovic

President of ORCA

 

 

Marijo Gillis <TwinkiePerkyEbby wrote:

We are very disturbed to view documentation regarding the barbaric

treatment of abandoned companion and zoo animals in Serbia. We have been

in touch by telephone to compassionate parties in Serbia and we request

information regarding your organizations attempt to ameliorate such

atrocities and intervene with the pertinent government officials..

 

Clearly, the information should be forthcoming and to my attention as

soon as possible..

 

Thank you for your urgent attention to this issue.

 

Marijo Gillis

 

Marijo Anne Gillis - Founder

Welfare for Animals in Greece

Welfare for Animals Global, Inc.

(a New York non-profit advocacy & political lobby group)

Tel. (212) 427-0587 Fax (212) 427-6381

E-Mail Twinkieperkyebby

 

" Compassion for all life - the way to a better world "

 

 

Organizacija za postovanje i brigu o zivotinjama - ORCA

 

Adresa: Masarikova 5/XVI

ORCAinfo tel: 064 235 325 9

Fax: + 381 11 306 15 21

e-mail:

<http://us.f528.mail./ym/Compose?To=orcabeograd >

orcabeograd (za javnost)

e-mail:

<http://us.f528.mail./ym/Compose?To=orcamediji >

orcamediji (za novinare)

Web: <http://www.orca.org.yu/> www.orca.org.yu

ORCA Savetovaliste za zastitu zivotinja: Prote Mateje 36,

svake srede od 17 do 19 casova, tel. 243-86-53 (ulaz iz dvorista)