1. Animal Shelter of the Veterinary Hospital Poreč
Our city has been collaborating for many years on projects of the City of Poreč, the Healthy City of Poreč and the Veterinary Hospital of Poreč. A legal shelter for abandoned animals is registered at the Veterinary Hospital Poreč, the only one in Istria, besides Pula, that is registered in accordance to the legal regulations and prescribed conditions for shelters. The shelter takes care of stray dogs and conducts dog health care and sensitizes citizens to adopt pets who have not been fortunate enough to receive love and attention from their first owners. There are essentially no stray dogs in our city because of project partnership and good cooperation between the City of Poreč, Healthy Town and the Veterinary Hospital Poreč. The City supports the financial work of the shelter. In 2014, the capacity of the shelter was expanded because the City’s obligation is to care for abandoned animals.
The Healthy City of Poreč is coordinating a segment of the program aimed at pet care education, radio broadcasts, educational leaflets that promote responsibility for pet care and adoption of both big and small residents of dog shelters.
It is extremely important to care for abandoned dogs because of the aforementioned zoonoses (diseases transmitted from animals to humans) as well as rabies, an incurable deadly viral disease, which can also be transmitted by dogs if they are not vaccinated, in contact with a rabid animal, that is, if they are infected. Also, abandoned dogs when unattended can pose a risk of injury (attacks, bites, car accidents) in relation to people, and this is also the reason why the City of Poreč and its project partners care for abandoned dogs.
Project developer for the shelter: Poreč Veterinary Hospital (partner organization)
2. Sterilization and castration of stray cats
The program, initiated by the City of Poreč and the Healthy City of Poreč, addresses specific activities aimed at humane control of the stray cat population in the Poreč area. Cats are also carriers of zoonoses and are a possible source of infection, especially if they don’t have owners who care for them. Since there is no legal obligation to chip the cats, it is much more difficult to observe and monitor them. They can have up to 5 litters per year, and can potentially be carriers of diseases such as rabies, microsporosis (fungal disease that causes people to lose hair in places), and intestinal parasites, for example, toxocara cati and others. Due to the fact that cats are difficult to keep in shelters because they don’t have a great tolerance for indoor spaces, they must be kept in special cages according to the regulations of the Republic of Croatia. The valid Ordinance on the conditions that an animal shelter must satisfy in the Republic of Croatia prescribes for cats a humane measure of control of the cat population by sterilization/castration in the city area, and return to the primary habitat or other place as assessed by the veterinary services (Article 28 of the Ordinance). The City of Poreč, in cooperation with the Healthy Veterinary Hospital Poreč, sterilizes 50-60 cats a year. This prevents their further reproduction and reduces their number in the territorial area of the city, especially in settlements with children, and reduces the risk of infection. Interested citizens can also, in contact with the Veterinary Hospital, adopt the cat before it is returned to its primary habitat.
Project developer for Poreč: Poreč Veterinary Hospital (partner organization)
