Urgent Help Needed for Dogs in Dubrovnik

In Dubrovnik, a city in Croatia, all of the stray dogs have been transported in a shelter on the mountainside of the city. The streets have been cleared so the movie "Robin Hood" directed by Leonardo DiCaprio can be shot.

"More than 300 Dubrovnik street dogs are huddled on a windswept mountainside, shunned by the city and cared for by a few brave volunteers at the Zarcovica Animal Shelter"

The government is not helping to take care of these dogs, not a single cent has been given and if it weren't for Network for Animals and the volunteers they would be dead by now. And now the city wants to kill them! Charges have been made against the people caring for the dogs because they vaccinated some of the them a bit later than the law allows.


"Leonardo DiCaprio, Robin Hood’s producer, probably had no idea what’s going on until he learned about it from us. We are now waiting for a response from his film company. I hope he is horrified – no, I am certain he is, now that the truth is out there." - Brian Davies, founder of Network for Animals.
Another way to help is to send an email to the government of Dubrovnik. It is high time they take responsibility for the homeless dogs in their city. They need to take care of their dogs! It is their responsibility and killing them is not an option. It is wrong. You can send an email to this address: prijedlozi@dubrovnik.hr. As far as I understood, this is a way to contact the mayor, but since it seems they don't have one elected, not until May, I recommend sending the same email to this address too: pipsic@dubrovnik.hr. This email is from Petar Ipšić, the Information Officer of the City of Dubrovnik.

Here is an email sample you can use. You can of course edit it or write your own version.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Respected/Dear Mr. Petar,

It is very saddening to have found out that the government of Dubrovnik is refusing to help, in any way, the homeless dogs in your city. More than 300 stray dogs were taken to a temporary shelter on a mountain near the city where just a handful of volunteers are helping take care of them. The streets of your city have been cleared of the rest of the dogs, so the new movie "Robin Hood" can be shot. No help was given to the volunteers, not even financial that would ensure better living conditions for these dogs. The government promised to build a shelter for stray dogs even before, but that did not happen. And now the volunteers are being sued for having the dogs vaccinated later than they should have been? And there is threat of euthanasia?

It is shameful that a city which is a tourist destination and Croatia as a country which is a member of the EU is treating their animals so cruelly. The carelessness with which the competent authorities treat the abandoned dogs is unacceptable! As a developed, cultural and a tourist city, I think it is time to take responsibility and appropriate procedures to protect these dogs. It is your responsibility as a government to do so! Euthanasia is not a solution, but building a good shelter, raising awareness, spaying and neutering, promoting dogs for adoption is the right way for a developed and cultural city to treat its animals.

I hope you will help the dogs and make the right decision. Please do everything possible to help these dogs in a humane and commendable way.

Sincerely,

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------