We cannot let this shelter's 60 dogs starve!

1. In Bosnia, Maya is almost out of kibble to feed the 60 dogs living in her shelter. They will starve if no one helps!

"I currently care for 60 dogs at the shelter and recently, a little more adoptions happened due to the holiday season… But I just really hope there won’t be an abandonment surge right after the holidays! Indeed, an increasing number of dogs keep getting abandoned in the area…  

Winter is here with its freezing cold, making it even harder for these dogs’ survival… At the shelter, I already struggle to keep the dogs a little warm, so you can only imagine how tough a shelterless dog’s life is outside! I lack resources and it makes it difficult to consistently cover my dogs’ needs…

It’s undeniable that inflation affects my ability to provide vet care and food; I’m always stressed over the kibble supply issue! Today, what I have left won’t last more than a couple of days and only if I mix it with rice! I worry a lot about how the dogs will survive the winter… I can only count on this campaign’s success to keep my dogs healthy and fed during this season!”

2. The lack of kibble not only affects the shelter's dogs but also those in the street: many lives are at stake! 

“I can no longer feed my dogs with kibble only; they eat a mixture of affordable food, which is less adequate and nutritious. Despite my efforts, I know my dogs don’t have enough to eat… Alas, all the fears I have for my shelter’s dogs are small, compared to the ones I have towards street dogs.

Out in the wild, they face many dangers to try and survive in terrible conditions; it only gets worse for them, in the winter months… They basically only have me to feed them occasionally, but it’s now impossible for me to cope, even if I wanted to provide them with some leftovers! 

I feel frustrated to know that I struggle so much with the lack of food at the shelter, as it takes a direct hit at my ability to help and rescue street dogs! So many endangered dogs still need to be rescued from the streets, and so many dogs’ lives and health will be impacted if this campaign fails…”

3. Mila was rescued in a critical state: she's been too deprived to survive without kibble!  

“Mila is around 2 years old and was used as a hound dog by her previous owners… I rescued her along with two other dogs: she had been tied up with a chain that was too short and left outside in the mud without any food, water, or shelter. It was a terrible situation and she was in a critical state! 

It's a miracle that she's still alive and she’s now slowly recovering. Despite everything she's been through, she’s a sweet and friendly dog who loves to be around people. But she still needs an adequate diet, having been famished and deprived... She absolutely needs this kibble delivery in order to gain weight and fully recover!”

4. Donations are too irregular, Maya has debts and cannot cope with inflation: this campaign's success is all she has left to feed her dogs!

“Since the beginning, I rely on my own funds a lot to keep things running: the donations I get and the online auctions I organise are usually insufficient for the shelter-related expenses… In any case, funding kibble has always been a challenge! Unfortunately, it's getting harder and harder to find people who are willing to support, especially with the rising prices of everything. I’ve reached out for help, but haven't had much luck so far... It's sad, but the well-being of dogs or charity can no longer be priorities if people are getting poorer… 

No one donates food at the moment, so I struggle even more to try and feed my dogs… I cannot pay the kibble supplier on credit and my debts to the vet are stacking up due to emergency surgeries. I’m in such financial distress it clearly impacts my ability to meet my dogs’ elementary needs. It’s Christmas time and I really hope a charitable sentiment will help me ensure my dogs get some kibble!”

5. Maya is not asking for money, only kibble to keep the dogs from starving. 

“I've been involved in animal protection since my childhood, but I really started actively rescuing stray dogs 8 years ago. I wanted to create a place for them to heal, thrive and socialise. The dogs have really helped me through some difficult times in my life… When I was sick and depressed, they brought me back to life with their love! Right now, it's just me and my family working at the shelter, along with two workers, but no volunteers… No one wants to ‘work for free’ here! 

More people are open to adoption, sheltering or caring for street dogs in our area, yet many continue to abandon their pets! A desperately high number of puppies and/or purebreds are left to their own devices, unprepared for a harsh life outside…

But slowly, our efforts pay off: at a local level, sterilisation initiatives are developed and regulations to protect dogs are created... I even volunteered at a state ‘death’ pound, which led to more transparency! I only wish more people will join us and support our dogs in any way they can…”

6. If this campaign succeeds, Maya will not receive any money but  1440 kg of kibble, delivered from Animal Webaction's logistics centre in Bosnia.

Animal Webaction has a logistics centre in Bosnia which allows us to intervene quickly and deliver kibble.

7. Maya's supporters did all they could to help her, but kibble supply is the biggest issue: this campaign must not fail!

“I’ve been working with several organisations abroad to rehome our dogs for the past two years; about 2-3 adoptions per month can happen thanks to their help! I use Facebook to hold auctions: I sell items that belong to us (jewellery, books, clothes…) in order to fundraise. The money I raise is dedicated to pay every shelter’s expense, like our workers’ salaries, vet bills or kibble, but it isn’t enough to fully cover these costs! 

Our donors are individuals and we manage to pay back some parts of our debts from time to time thanks to them… I’ve reached out to several organisations and companies in order to get some food, but never got any positive answer! Even though people tend to be more sensitive to charity matters during these holidays, the current state of the economy has completely changed the game! I don’t know who to turn to… I need help to make sure my dogs get the care, love and kibble they truly need!”

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 Bosnia, stray dogs are tortured and killed illegally without anyone looking...

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

If you represent an animal protection foundation or NGO, please help Hope's shelter dogs, contact us and we will put you in touch with Maya!

If you want to come to Hope VMS to help Maya or if you want to directly send her some kibble or a cheque, please, contact Maya via Facebook (note: direct help is under your own responsibility).

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