Kroatië | Croatia

Rijeka shelter

The Azil "Društvo za zaštitu životinja Rijeka" is located north-western to the croatian coastal City of Rijeka, in the forrest belonging to the suburb Viskovo.

Zdenka and a handful of volunteers are taking care about approximate 160 dogs right now, but the number of dogs varies - they often take care about 200 dogs.

The situation is dire, they lack everything and depend on donations. The community of Rijeka isn't as supportive as it should be and gives hardly any financial support. The attitude of the local population isn't any better, shelter-dogs have a bad reputation in Croatia and it's very hard to find new homes for them. If they find new homes, than mostly outside Croatia, often in Holland or Germany. The situation of the dogs remaining in Rijeka is still dire, though.

The dogs live in open kennels with hardly any protection from the elements. When it rains, the shelter-territory changes into a muddhole, and this includes the kennels. Zdenka would like to put concrete in the kennels and on the space between the kennels so it's easier to clean up, but the landlord prohibits it. The shelter has no electricity on site. During the grim croatian winters, dogs simply freeze to death.

Still Zdenka and the few volunteers do everything in their power to help those dogs as good as possible, often by sacrificing personal financial means to feed the dogs.

Website
www.trazimdom.com

Click on the photos to go to the photo album of the shelter.