A Durres-based animal NGO has sounded the alarm again, that the space given to them by the Municipality of Durres to house their stray dog center, is being used as a rubbish dumping site by the Municipality itself.
In October, Albanian- Swiss animal rights NGO JETA Tier und Mensch denounced the Municipality for dumping urban waste on the site, making it difficult for them to conduct their work.
The location is a zone in Durres that was given to the organization 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 says that this presents a risk to the animals of infection, disease, and parasites.
Point 10 of the contract between the NGO and the Municipality, seen by Exit, states that:
“The place should be 365 days available to the organization” and that “the place must be adapted to the parameters of animal rights.” The parameters include it being protected from the elements and having a “free yard where stray dogs can move after sterilization and castration”.
But in its current state, JETA is unable to use most of the facilities due to the coming and going of waste disposal vehicles and the prevalence of waste in the area.
The NGO said they have invested over EUR 6000 in the site to create a suitable home for the 42 foster dogs. They said the Municipality has promised to stop using it for dumping and that they will clean it up, but in the last year, this has not happened. They are also concerned about the impact of the rubbish on the people living in the area.
“We have spent thousands on trying to make this place suitable for the animals but the Municipality are just using it as a temporary landfill. They keep promising to fix it, but nothing happens,” they told Exit.
“They say they don’t have another solution and have nowhere to put the waste,” they added.
Exit contacted the Municipality to ask about the situation and query whether they are allowed to dump waste on the site but received no reply.
