We cannot let the 300 dogs at Vesna's shelter starve!

1. In Serbia, Vesna is almost out of kibble to feed the 300 dogs at her shelter, they will starve if no one intervenes!

“We currently have over 300 dogs in our care and I had never seen such a huge number of dogs before, it has significantly increased! Sadly, a lot of irresponsible owners keep throwing their dogs out in the streets, while the State isn’t doing enough for these strays: they’re just helpless and have nothing to eat on the street… I just feel it’s my job to help and rescue them!

But it’s an absolute challenge to ensure vet care and kibble supply for so many dogs! Now, they’re eating the few remaining kibble that I managed to collect at the pet shop. I know they don't eat enough… But if I weren’t doing these major cuts on their portions, there wouldn't be any kibble left to feed them at this stage! 

Kibble prices have reached new heights and the lack of funds prevents me from buying sufficient kibble, whereas donations are too low. I feel helpless and I’m affected at both a physical and emotional level; I worry all the time and it hurts to see my dogs suffer from hunger; they’re my greatest love! This kibble campaign is the only way to prevent starvation at the shelter…”  

2. Vesna struggles to balance her rescue efforts and the growing lack of kibble: at the shelter, dogs are already hungry, weak and agitated...

“The dogs are far from full after eating and it has concerning side-effects, especially since I can only give them smaller and smaller amounts of low-quality kibble: their immunity weakens a lot and it can be risky for their health. Indeed, many of our dogs have health conditions, disabilities, some are still very young or, on the contrary, very old… The imminent kibble shortage will make them all even more vulnerable! It’s also very stressful for me when the dogs are barking loudly and fighting out of nervousness, because they starve… I fear for their well-being! 

And yet, many strays need help, out there… Their number increases daily and I keep struggling to provide them with food and care. I can’t stand seeing them suffer outside, while I have a growing lack of means to rescue more of them! It’s painful… I do all this out of pure love and desire to give these innocent beings something to hold on to for survival! And when I fail to succeed, I fall apart... This campaign’s success is so important, not only for my peace of mind, but for all the hungry dogs I care about!”

3. Tara is blind and her existence entirely relies on Vesna: she won’t survive without kibble…

“Tara was born blind and when she was just a few months old, heartless people threw her out on the street. It’s awful to even imagine such a thing, knowing she’s an extremely gentle and loving dog. She gets along well with other dogs and always wants to be around people.

But her blindness makes her very dependent and vulnerable, she needs special care and quality kibble to survive… It’s very sad because she depends on my very ability to provide her with kibble and if I can no longer do that, she may not survive much longer…” 

4. Vesna's financial struggles impact the shelter: indebted and lacking donations, she only has this campaign left to feed the dogs!

“I feel like everything was different before. People were more attentive to each other and to animals: they gave more, whether money or kibble, and had more opportunities to help. It was easier for us to finance because I received my mother's pension and there were fewer dogs in the shelter, too... The collections we used to take part in in the city and those held at the pet shop enabled us to survive a little more easily, at the time. Now, we have a way larger number of dogs, a lot of work, and my health issues make everything much harder… Added to the economic context, it's not surprising that it's harder to get kibble now! People are financially struggling and can’t donate anymore…

The second most important cost item after kibble is vet care: I have many debts to pay back if I want to keep the dogs healthy; but for now, there are several important treatments I cannot pay for… Many other types of expenses are also pending, but they are insignificant compared to kibble - it’s the most important item yet the most recurring difficulty! If this campaign fails, I can't even imagine what will happen... I try to always find some way, but I'm always on the edge of survival: the success of this campaign is the only light I see at the end of the tunnel right now!”

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

“My love for animals is what keeps me going, no matter how hard the times are! Running a shelter definitely comes with huge responsibilities and since this activity doesn’t pay, it’s understandable that fewer people want to open one; it's disheartening, but most people don't pay attention to activities that don't allow them to make profit! And helping dogs in distress is one of these activities. 

Even though there are those who admire my actions, they are a minority. I wish to influence people to love and care for animals, but I often encounter resistance and misunderstanding from people and the system… The mistreatment of dogs is a serious issue in our area, they’re often subject to cruel acts: they’re beaten, mutilated and even killed! 

There is such hatred towards these innocent creatures, it is heart-wrenching! As humans, we’re supposed to protect the dogs, not torture them! My shelter is therefore crucial, but I can't do everything alone, more awareness needs to be raised and I need more support to keep the dogs safe from human malice…”

6. If this campaign succeeds, Vesna will not receive any money but 1600 kg of kibble, delivered by Animal Webaction's logistics platform in Serbia.

Animal Webaction has a logistics platform directly in Serbia, which enables us to intervene quickly and deliver kibble.

7. Vesna's supporters have done everything they could to help her get kibble, but now, she's out of options: this campaign must succeed!   

“My biggest concern is whether I will be able to collect kibble for my dogs, because I don’t have many solutions at my disposal… Unfortunately, there are no resources available to help us in Serbia, and I cannot find anyone or any organisation that could support us. Apart from Animal Webaction, whose campaigns are helping us a lot, there are only the pet shop collections and some regular donors who help as much as they can… This help is really precious to us, but we’re still nowhere near enough to meet so many dogs’ needs.

We keep asking and hoping that people of good will who have the ability to assist us will do. But again, it’s a difficult period for so many people! Some barely manage to make ends meet… Sometimes, although we manage to raise some funds and/or collect goods thanks to the appeals posted on Facebook, it’s very hard to get the necessary amounts… This campaign is really the last and only option to feed our dogs. There are no words to express my gratitude towards those who will allow this kibble delivery to happen!”

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 Vesna are their only hope!

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

If you represent an animal welfare foundation or NGO, please help Vesna's dogs, please contact us and we will put you in touch!

If you would like to come to Vesna's shelter to help her or if you would like to send her kibbles or a check directly, please contact Vesna via the association's Facebook page. (Note: direct help is your own responsibility.)

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