We cannot let these 174 dogs starve!

1. In Serbia, Svetlana is running out of kibble to feed her shelter's 174 dogs. They will starve if no one helps!

"I’m currently taking care of 174 dogs at the shelter. Their number has been decreasing for sure, as I had four dogs who died of old age… I even managed to have a few adoptions in the last four months. I’m actually trying not to get a bigger number of dogs at the shelter, so I tend to only focus on rescuing dogs with life-threatening conditions and have some strays neutered… 

It’s the best I can do to help other dogs, as the shelter’s currently struggling with the lack of kibble: I just can’t provide more dogs from the streets with food and at the same time keep on feeding those at the shelter. I had to start rationing because my stocks are running low and I definitely don’t have enough to feed them all!

Prices keep on inflating in Serbia and my growing debts include huge kibble debts… These rises make people more preoccupied by their own deteriorated financial situations so, if some pay attention to the dogs, their donations are scarcer than ever… I don’t sleep at night; I have nightmares about my creditors suing me… This lack of kibble affects me daily: how am I going to deal with it and keep on feeding the dogs?”  

2. Svetlana’s kibble stocks are lower by the minute and she fears she’ll have to release dogs in the wild if this campaign fails!

"I had been rationing kibble around two months before the previous Animal Webaction delivery and now again, I’ve started reducing the dogs’ food portions two days ago, saving as much kibble as I can… Needless to say that not a single uneaten bite goes to waste! So far, the dogs eat enough but this Summer can take a toll on them… 

Indeed, temperatures have been so canicular lately that they don’t seem to have their usual, healthy appetite… Besides, they require more water daily to stay hydrated and refreshed. I’ve already noticed the combined effects of the heat with these reduced poor-quality kibble portions: they don’t process it well and they have abnormal stools or diarrhoea. Without a bigger kibble supply, the situation is going to worsen!  

This lack of kibble is the biggest problem I’m facing… I’m so scared that I’ll end up having no other choice than taking dogs back to the streets, leaving them to their own devices! It’s such a pang to even imagine I’d let them go back to the hostile environment I’ve saved them from! It would be a personal defeat to me and I’m so afraid thinking this kibble campaign might fail…"

3. Luna was found living in the streets: her first enucleation went bad, she has to undergo another heavy surgery! She relies on this kibble delivery to build up strength and recover.

"Luna is a five-year-old dog I took in two and a half years ago… She was a stray and used to “beg” for food, living in the surroundings of one supermarket to another and fed with leftovers. She seemed to do well on her own in the streets, yet her right eye was in a terrible condition, probably due to abuse or fights… One day, I decided to help and provide her with needed vet care. Much to my suprise, she was then heavily pregnant! I took her out of the streets and she gave birth at the shelter 2 days later…

The vet had to enucleate her but unfortunately, it didn’t go well… She needs to undergo another heavy surgery to fix her right eye and she needs special care before and after her operation. She’s a very good and caring dog, even after going through a hard life in the wild! She really needs this kibble campaign to be successful in order to have a healthy diet and be in good shape before her surgery. It will allow her fast recovery...”

4. Svetlana financially struggles with the extreme rise in prices: heavily indebted and lacking donations, she can’t buy kibble anymore! 

"My financial situation was already awful throughout the pandemic, but since the beginning of war in Ukraine, it’s thrice worse! The crisis that stems from this combination has negative consequences on the shelter’s actions: I barely afford to feed the stray dogs in the neighbourhoods and can’t take any of them in! At least, I had some of them sterilised, so now, God bless them…

Earlier this year, I had plans to extend the shelter but it’s no longer on the agenda with these bankruptcy and inflation… Soaring prices make more and more people go on “survival mode”: they’re more focused on their own personal hardships and worried about the costs of groceries. Thus, not many and not enough donations happen these days…

I have a fundraising going on for two weeks now, to try and cover the thousands of euros I owe the dog food supplier. I am lucky to still have a job, but I really struggle! I have tens of thousands euros of vet, kibble and electricity debts… If this campaign succeeds, time will be saved and the current food debts will be reduced a little! The kibble issue would be overcome for a while, which will allow me to help more vulnerable dogs… ”

5. Svetlana isn't asking for money, only kibble to keep the dogs from starving.

"I created this shelter out of personal convictions: to me, helping other living beings is just part of doing our best to protect the planet we’re all sharing… But I realised that the existence of the shelter is necessary to save dogs in this area… I’m the happiest person whenever I help them: only dogs can bring a smile to your face, even when you’re sad or angry. They’re such grateful creatures and always know how to bring comfort and joy! To me, every dog is worth every effort I put! But it’s hard doing it alone… 

I have one worker at the shelter during the Summer vacation… But he’s a student and he’ll leave us shortly as classes will start again. Otherwise, I don’t have any volunteers so we’re just too few people to help all the dogs! It’s difficult for those who have 3 or 4 dogs, so just imagine 174! I had some adoptions at the shelter, but mostly small dogs as hardly anyone wants bigger dogs. 

I can’t take more strays in, but I managed to sterilise some of them to prevent overpopulation… Here in Draževac, people don't seem to care about them at all… It’s desperate how animals are considered in Serbia! It wouldn’t take much to treat them better and help dogs in the streets, especially lately as it’s scorching hot. Yet most people don’t even think about giving them some water… So, how can I take care of all the dogs by myself? I need more help: more donations and more kibble are essential for me to continue rescuing dogs!”

6. If this campaign succeeds, Svetlana will not receive any money, but 1 600 kg of kibble, delivered from the Animal Webaction logistics centre in Serbia.

Animal Webaction has a logistic platform in Serbia which allows us to intervene quickly and deliver kibble.

7. Svetlana’s supporters have done their maximum to help her get kibble: without any new organisations willing to help, this campaign is her last chance to feed the dogs!

“I have the support of a Dutch organisation which helps collect dog food when possible… Romanian associations are their priority, though, so we’re glad they sometimes manage to help us! Sadly, donations have been fewer and rarer for months and months… I tried to reach out to other organisations, whether to help us for kibble collections or for adoptions, but I didn’t get any answer… I also asked restaurants, food factories or student dormitories, to see if they could give us some leftovers. But it’s either impossible or requires extra expenses we can’t afford…

I really hope the dogs and I will survive through this crisis… I don’t want to reduce their food portions even further, but this is what might happen if this Animal Webaction campaign fails. And I noticed that they do often fail! It is very stressful to me. If this kibble delivery happens, I will worry less about feeding the dogs for a while! I may even be able to focus on other aspects to improve the dogs’ lives both at the shelter and in the streets…”

8. Campaigns launched on Animal Webaction often fail.

When a campaign fails, Animal Webaction cannot deliver the products. The beneficiary doesn't receive anything and the buyers are refunded. 

9. In Serbia, street dogs are hunted by the State and ignored by the population, volunteers like Svetlana are their only hope.

If you know of a foundation or NGO that could help Svetlana, please invite them to contact us, so that we can put them in touch.

If you represent a foundation or an NGO for animal protection, please help Sveltana's dogs, contact us and we will put you in touch!

If you wish to go to the association's shelters to help or if you want to send her directly some kibbles or a check, contact Svetlana  (note: direct help is done on your own responsibility).

10. If you make a purchase on Animal Webaction, it will be protected by our guarantees.