Many Croatian citizens have pets. Approximately 60 % of Croatian families own at least one pet: 41% of citizens own dogs and 29% own cats. Unfortunately, too many animals in Croatia are not treated very well mostly because some are not educated enough about how to treat animals or what is forbidden.

Animal treatment in Croatia

Sterilization of pets is not mandatory in Croatia. As a result, cats and dogs exponentially reproduce. These extra, unwanted pets end up abandoned, poisoned, strangled, or dumped in trash cans. Many Croatians find castration of pets to be mutilation, yet they can make peace with murdering animals when unwanted. Perhaps if more cats and dogs were castrated, then there would be less pets to poison, eh?

Poisoning is a serious problem. It is not only used as a method of birth control by the owner of a pregnant pet, but neighbors will put out poisoned food to kill strays in the neighborhood. This inevitably causes the death of outdoor cats who do have owners.

According to the law, local authorities are obligated to build animal shelters but the number of shelters is still insufficient. Non-profit animal shelters don’t have the capacity or funds to give proper care to all abandoned animals. There is also a lack of information informing citizens about what to do with lost and abandoned animals.

Dog breeding does exist in Croatia, but if you’re wanting a pet, please adopt from a shelter or take in a pet from off the street instead. There are too many pets without homes.

What you need to do when you get a pet

When you get a pet, regardless of whether you adopt from a shelter, take in an abandoned stray or purchase a pet from a breeder, your first stop should be to a vet so that they can be vaccinated, checked for disease, and hopefully, neutered so they can’t reproduce.

By law, all pets in Croatia must be vaccinated against rabies and all dogs must be micro-chipped. Cats only need to be micro-chipped if they are going to cross the border into another country.

Other available vaccinations for dogs and cats

Dogs can be vaccinated against:

• Bjesnoća (rabies)
• Štenećak (distemper)
• Zarazni hepatitis (infectious hepatitis)
• Korona (corona)
• Parvoviroza (parvovirus)
• Leptospiroza (leptospirosis)
• Zarazni kašalj (contagious cough)

Cats can be vaccinated against:

• Bjesnoća (rabies)
• Panleukopenija or mačja kuga or mačićak (Kitten plague)
• Rinotraheitis or zarazni kašalj (Contagious cough)
• Calici virus (Calici virus)
• Mačja leukemija (Kitten leukemia)

Treatment of stray cats

In Croatia, dogs are clearly preferred over cats. Many consider cats to be rodents, which is reflected in their treatment.

Croatia has not yet implemented a plan to address the large number of stray cats, which has inevitably led to the prevalence of various cat diseases. Only a few animal shelters in Croatia accept cats.

There are so many stray cats that they tend to form colonies around the city. Luckily, there is usually a “cat lady” in each neighborhood that takes on the responsibility of feeding the local colony of cats, whom otherwise have to fend for themselves. This creates a lot of competition in larger colonies.

In some towns, volunteers and cat lovers hunt and organize sterilization for stray cats. After sterilization and recovery, they are returned to the place where they were found. This process is called “Uhvati-steriliziraj–vrati” (Trap-neuter-release) and it is the cheapest and the most humane way of preventing stray cats from producing more stray cats.

Local communities have the option to require sterilization of cats and dogs. More than 100 Croatian communities have already implemented permanent sterilization measures to prevent uncontrolled animal reproduction and the spread of disease.

Each town and city are required by law to pay for the sterilization of stray pets, however it’s not enforced. Each city usually does have a small budget for this purpose. To find out if your town has budget to sterilize stray animals, contact the Komunalno and ask. You can search for “Komunalno” plus the name of your city to find the appropriate contact information. If they do have budget, then you can take the animal to any vet, they will neuter them and then send the bill to the city.

Sterilization is a much cheaper and more effective measure of caring for animals than putting them in shelters. In some communities, individuals finance animal shelters and the sterilization processes. Some NGOs will sterilize stray cats and cat-pets free of charge or for a reduced rate. For example, Prava šapa in Zagreb offers this service.

Law on animal protection in Croatia

Animal rights in Croatia are regulated by the Zakon o zaštiti životinja (Law on the protection of animals). This law defines the responsibility and obligations of citizens and businesses towards animals.

The Animal Protection Law defines:

• Protection of animal lives, health, and welfare
• Ways that people treat animals
• Required conditions for animal breeding, medical procedures, killing, transport, scientific purposes, keeping animals in zoos and circuses
• Selling pets
• Abandoned and lost animal treatment
• Inspection supervision
• Sanctions

Forbidden acts on animals

Many restrictions outlined in the law maybe be written on paper but are not enforced in real life. Sanctions are implemented rarely regardless of the number of reports of animal abuse.

According to the law, these acts are forbidden (this is a general summary):

• Killing animals
• Hurting animals and making them suffer
• Bullying and frightening animals
• Exposing animals to any diseases on purpose
• Poisoning animals
• Abandoning animals and pets
• Breeding animals for animal fights
• Encouraging aggression of animals
• Breeding animals for fur production
• Gifting animals in lottery games
• Dog racing

Fines for abusing animals

Those who break the law protecting animals will be penalized for misdemeanors and fined accordingly.

• Businesses – between 8.000 and 100.000 kn
• Citizens – between 10.000 and 30.000 kn
• Local authority units – between 15.000 and 30.000 kn
• Project managers – between 1.000 and 2.000 kn
• Experiment managers – between 1.000 and 2.000 kn

How to report animal abuse

If you suspect or know that someone is harming or killing animals, report the abuse:

• to any veterinary inspection from this list
• via email prijava@mps.hr

All reports must be sent to the Police and Općinsko državno odvjetništvo (a district attorney) as well.