We cannot let this shelter's 68 dogs starve!

1. In Bosnia, Samira has almost no kibble left to feed the 68 dogs at her shelter: they will starve if no one helps!

“I currently take care of 68 dogs and it's been tough to keep them warm, sheltered and fed all along this freezing, snowy winter… The shelter is located really high up and winters are longer and harsher in this very hilly area! It’s a critical time of the year for the shelter and the dogs, so kibble supply has to be secured - it is crucial for the dogs’ survival… 

But my low resources makes it a struggle to keep the shelter running and the lack of donations only makes it worse… These days, prices are absurdly high and it’s increasingly hard to provide for the dogs and buy kibble. Right now, I barely have enough kibble for a couple days more: I’ve reduced their portions and they aren’t eating as much as they should!

Getting kibble in these inflationary times is the biggest issue for me -  it gives me headaches! It knocks me down often… If this campaign fails, it would be a nightmare for the dogs and I. Lacking the means to feed them makes me feel helpless and I’m terrified to even think about what would happen once there won’t be a single kibble left…”

2. At the shelter, the dogs are nervous and hungry: Samira fears for their health and safety if this campaign fails!

“It pains me to see that the dogs aren’t eating enough… I've been cutting back on kibble for a while now and I can see how it affects both their behaviour and health: they get nervous, aggressive and their immunity weakens… They’re getting louder and they quarrel a bit, but I manage to react quickly to prevent any harm. 

Still, it’s a lot of stress to cope with and I fear the lack of kibble and the resulting hunger would eventually lead to a disastrous incident! Besides, they still need more calories and nutrients to live through the freezing cold, even though they’re protected in the shelter… Stray dogs in the streets, on the other hand, hardly survive in such conditions outside… 

It’s heartbreaking and overwhelming to witness these poor dogs’ living conditions, being abandoned and left to die… I try to rescue every dog I can, but expenses add up with each new dog we have to care for and feed; I only want my dogs to be happy and full! Without kibble, I dread the worst for them and my most fragile dogs are in no condition to survive much longer…”

3. Medy was shot in the leg: his disability makes his life harder and the lack of kibble could take a toll on him!  

“Medy is a very calm 10-year-old dog whom I rescued from the streets, where he was wandering with a badly injured leg: he got shot by a hunter. His leg is now very sensitive and he cannot use it properly nor rest on it. He’s therefore slower to move and walk than the other dogs…  

Medy is a lovely dog, but he tends to isolate himself from the rest of the pack, in order to be peaceful and avoid getting into fights - it could be very risky for his leg! Sometimes, the other dogs bother him and he becomes aggressive to chase them away. 

As the dogs are getting more hungry, I’m concerned about Medy’s health; I don’t want him to become weaker and more nervous. He could easily get caught in a fight - he wouldn’t stand a chance with the other healthier dogs!”

4. Financial issues pile up at the shelter, between dwindling donations and debts: Samira can no longer buy kibble!

“The growing debts for kibble and at the vet have been a huge burden on us… The worst part is that I have already postponed some operations due to our financial situation! Besides, with the ever-present crisis, it's hard for people to decide whether to donate kibble or money. They have to deal and struggle with their own personal expenditures... As a result, the donations we receive are modest, so we are always short of funds. Feeding the dogs is a constant battle! The lack of support and resources can take a toll on my motivation and ability to help dogs in need… 

The past few winter months have been demanding and especially hard, so I’m hoping that spring will bring a new energy! But the thought of running out of kibble is terrifying: it will call all of our work in favour of dogs into question… As an animal lover, that's unbearable! I would never consider releasing any one of them in the wild after what they’ve been through and all we did to save their lives… But I can’t continue rescuing dogs without more help. I know times are hard, but we can only rely on people’s support, any kind of support, to keep the dogs fed!” 

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

“I've been rescuing animals for over ten years, and every life saved has brought me happiness and kept my will to continue doing it intact! I had to make many sacrifices, but I don't regret it. My life revolves around this shelter and these dogs… My husband also provides immense support, and I couldn't do any of it without him!

I can't save every dog, but I still do my best to take care of them! I can’t pass by a stray without helping them, although the possibilities and circumstances are not always ideal… But there are not so many shelters in the area to take care of animals, so most of these dogs would know a tragic fate in death pounds or on the streets, if they weren't under my protection.

Locally, the authorities do not care about the issue of abandoned dogs. Also, while some people understand and appreciate our actions towards dogs, many others remain sceptical… Seeing a dog in distress deeply affects me and I always wonder how can one let that happen? It’s not easy to feel like fighting for the dogs on our own but I’ll fight for them as long as I’m alive!” 

6. If this campaign succeeds, Samira will not receive any money but 1360 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. Samira’s support base did everything they could to help her get kibble: this campaign’s success is her last option to feed the dogs!      

“I have a formidable support group behind me, always sharing my posts on social media and doing their best to help me collect or communicate about the shelter, adoptions… Sadly, only 2 dogs got adopted in the last few months, while the number of donors is decreasing due to the crisis… Apart from Animal Webaction, I don’t have any partner organisation or association to help me feed the dogs: 70 dogs is no small matter, and I'm often worried about whether I'll be able to get kibble, medicine and other supplies… 

If only the kibble were secured so the dogs would never be hungry, I’d be relieved of such a burden! On a positive note, I'm grateful for my improved health; I was bedridden for a while, but now I can take proper care of my dogs again! Still, I’m ageing and my health issues make this work increasingly difficult. There are more and more abandoned dogs so it's vital that more people get involved in animal protection! It's impossible to achieve anything for these dogs if we don't join forces. More empathy is needed!”

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 Samira, please invite them to contact us so that we can put them in touch with each other.

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

If you want to come to Samira's shelter to help her, or if you want to directly send some kibble or a cheque, contact her via Facebook (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