Croatian animal shelters take in 10,000 abandoned animals every year, mainly dogs. This was stated by the non-governmental organisation Animal Friends Croatia on Thursday on the occasion of the World Stray Animals Day, stressing that neutering, microchipping and taking animals into foster families instead of buying them are necessary measures.

According to the law, people who abandon an animal can be punished with up to one year in prison or up to two years if the animal dies as a result of abandonment, the non-governmental organisation said, expecting that the possibility of a prison sentence will lead to fewer animals being abandoned.

The figure of 10,000 abandoned animals per year does not include cats and farm animals, which are also abandoned in large numbers, Animal Friends Croatia said.

They remind that every dog or cat owner is legally obliged to ensure that their animals do not have unwanted offspring. “Neutering male and female dogs and cats is the best prevention against unwanted kittens and puppies and the problem of their fostering.”

Dogs also need to be microchipped so that they can be found more easily if they are lost, or so that their owners can be identified if they are abandoned. Microchipping cats is not a legal requirement, but is recommended.

It is estimated that up to 20% of dogs in Croatia are not labelled, according to Animal Friends Croatia, adding that according to the Animal Protection Act, all cities and municipalities must visit all households with dogs to check if they have a microchip.

Citizens can help abandoned animals by volunteering at animal shelters, taking animals into temporary care, walking dogs, adopting dogs, donating money and sharing posts about animals looking for homes on social media, the NGO said.