My name is Tina Duk and i am volounteer in shelter on hill Žarkovica in Dubrovnik, Croatia.
Dubrovnik, Croatia is a beautiful city located right on the Adriatic Sea. Due to its prime location and historical significance, this city is a popular destination for many tourists. By walking through, you can see the beauty in the ancient architecture. This includes an old fort, way up on a hilltop above the city. This fort, fort Žarkovica is home to Dubrovnik’s stray animal population.
Žarkovica, a hill 315 m above sea level, is exposed to all
winds, and winter storms, a tornado and winds carry all around. Lightning
strikes at the heart of shelter - in pine, poles and nets, water creates,
landslides are destroying the already ruined fortress walls and networks that
bound boxes with animals. Also, there is no electricity and running water.At night volounteers work under light of flashlights and water is given to dogs from big tank with plastic buckets.
Žarkovica is home for over 350 dogs from city of Dubrovnik and local area.For 13 years it was managed by volounteers even city has legal obligation to take all responsability.Shelter with so big number of dogs needs a lot.Until city make decision to take full care of shelter, we have to collect donations to survive.
Food for dogs is our priority among many other things.
In our last fundraiser we have collected money for building 14 dog houses so they can be safe from cold and rain, but it is not enough.Building materials,woods, nets for boxes,tools for repairing old houses are things that we need to make shelter safe and comfortable for dogs who are living there and wait to be adopted.
Also, we need to buy a car because veterinary clinic is far away and dogs need to be transported there for any exam, medical treatment or sterilistion.
Because of hard weather conditions, we need a big metal container what we can use as office and as a place where volounteers can hide from cold and rain, get dry and get rest.
All things you have at home and you don't need it (old blankets,tools...etc.) you can always send to our adress
Društvo za zaštitu životinja Dubrovnik, (Sambrailo Sandra),
Put dr A.Starčevića 49
20207 Mlini, Dubrovnik.
We don't know when City of Dubrovnik will start to follow Croatian animal welfare law and we can't put dogs to a risk that they starve because city ignores their basic needs.We will continue to fight as we did all this years.But we can't do it without your help.
You can also sign up petition to make city follow Croatian animal welfare law
https://www.change.org/p/city-of-dubrovnik-follow-croatia-s-stellar-animal-welfare-act-support-your-local-animal-shelter .
You can follow us on our facebook group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/403408753158180/