The Friends of Animals NGO is delighted.
President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović visited Virovitica-Podravina County this week and decided to adopt a rescue dog Kika from the Virovitica Animal Shelter, sending an important message to other citizens to do the same. Kika is still at the shelter, but will soon be moved to the president’s office, reports Jutarnji List on October 14, 2018.
As a thank you for the noble act, the president will receive a feeding bowl from the Friends of Animals NGO for her new dog, as well as an Animal Protection Network T-shirt. The NGO believes that president’s gesture will promote the adoption of animals living in shelters, which are full of beautiful but abandoned dogs, and encourage towns and municipalities to prescribe permanent sterilization as a breeding control measure.
Luka Oman, the president of Friends of Animals and a special adviser to the agriculture minister, said that “we believe that the news about the president’s honourable act will soon spread beyond Croatia. There are thousands of dogs in Croatia who are waiting to be rescued. If all people who are thinking about buying a dog would instead decide to adopt a rescue dog, as the president did, all shelters would soon be empty.”
Stela Cota, head of the Animal Protection Network, which brings together 43 associations, added that “this is a wonderful support to adoption, responsible custodianship, and to all the organizations which are struggling daily to improve human behaviour towards animals. We call on everyone to follow the president’s example and opt for adoption instead of buying.”
Agriculture Minister Tomislav Tolušić accompanied the president and said that the shelter in Virovitica, along with other good examples, is clear proof that the Law on Animal Protection can be implemented.
Veterinary Dražen Majetić from the Virovitica shelter said that “this is an acknowledgment to the Virovitica shelter, as well as other no-kill shelters, associations and volunteers who are struggling every day to find a home for all the animals they care for and educate their fellow citizens about the necessity of adoption and castration.”
More information on the benefits of dog adoption and animal protection tools that can help all dogs in Croatia can be found at www.prijatelji-zivotinja.hr.
Translated from Jutarnji List.
