Albanian- Swiss animal rights NGO JETA Tier und Mensch has denounced the Municipality of Durres for dumping urban waste in an area they say was given to them for the rehabilitation of street dogs, post neutering.
The project place is a zone in Durres that was given to the organisation in October 2018 to use as a place where stray dogs can stay following being neutered or spayed and before they are released. They told Exit that they had a contract with the authorities that said space was to be safe and clean, would be provided with water and electricity, and would be used just for them and their cause. So far, the authorities have not kept their side of the deal.
But more than that, each day the Municipality dumps trash at the site. Some of it is then moved onto another site, but much is left behind. JETA say that this presents a risk to the animals of infection, disease, and parasites.
They said more than 25 dogs are living there that cannot and should not be released but that need to find homes. Over the last two years, JETA has castrated over 590 dogs, releasing some and rehoming others.
Because of the situation with the waste, they are unable to let the dogs run around, something that impacts their behaviour and makes them frustrated.
JETA have told the Municipality they are open to dialogue and further cooperation on the issue, but they have requested that they stop dumping rubbish at the site that has been allocated to them.
Also, at the weekend, JETA organised an education day for citizens in Fier, on the occassion of World Animal Day. They handed out flyers and talked to citizens about the benefits of adopting animals ratheer than buying, the importance of neutering and spaying animals, and how their rights should be respected.
On the same day, another activity was held in Durres to provide information and education on how to take care of street dogs, why animals should not be dumped, and why we need to take more care of our canine friends. They explained to attendees that there are 100 dogs per day in urgent need to help, ust in Durres and there is a need for more volunteers as well as pressure on the governent to enforce animal rights laws and crackdown on those who violate them.
The situation with stray dogs in Albania is dire. Not only are there many on the streets, but it is largely up to volutneers to neuter, vaccinate and rehome them. In Tirana, the Municipality rounds them up and euthanises them using various methods. In 2019, they killed at least 965 stray dogs alone, according to activits who have monitored street dogs in the city.
