We cannot let these 450 dogs starve!

1. In Bosnia, Armina will soon be out of kibble to feed her shelter's 450 dogs. They will starve if no one intervenes!

“We have 450 dogs in the shelter, while an additional 20 dogs are receiving special care at both Ina's, the president of the association, and at my home… The recent distemper outbreak has now cleared, which is a huge relief for the dogs and us. But it was an absolute nightmare, we lost so many of our dogs and the debt just spiralled out of control. It was traumatising and it has put us in a very tough financial position… 

Besides, the number of dogs we care for is enormous and doesn't decrease: adoptions are way too few to keep pace with the number of dogs being dumped at our shelter! Thus, we’re still confronted with major difficulties: the lack of a regular kibble supply is a recurring issue... Dependence on donations means we often teeter on the brink of running out of it. Right now, our remaining kibble stock will only last us a few more days…

Due to inflation, we’re compelled to allocate our limited resources towards buying cheaper, lower-quality kibble. Meanwhile, the donations and support from individuals have declined, making it even harder for us to provide for our dogs… We’re constantly concerned and if this campaign fails, we'd be devastated. I really don’t know what alternative means we could find to ensure our dogs are fed…”

2. Malnourishment weakens the dogs, they get skin diseases and become more and more agitated... Without kibble, Armina fears the worst for them!

“We are forced to give poor quality kibble to the dogs as we don't get sufficient donations... And now we're on borrowed time, again. Besides, this poor diet has an impact on their immune system; they are much more susceptible to skin diseases, such as demodicosis...

These health problems are likely to be exacerbated with the arrival of warmer weather. Summer's not even here yet and I shudder to think of what's to come; the dogs are already panting, looking for shaded areas to cool off… They are starting to suffer from the heat and it is vital that we find ways for them to stay hydrated. They will not survive without kibble and water supplies.

We already lost dogs during the virus outbreak... I don’t want to experience anything similar again with starvation at the shelter during a heat wave! Our dogs are already impacted and I’m scared more of them will get sick. If we don’t have any kibble left, they will really suffer from hunger and tensions will go up several notches at the shelter: this will lead to dangerous fights out of survival instinct and dogs could be injured... or worse!”

3. Baby is skeletal after having been abandoned and deprived: this delivery is her only lifeline!

“Baby is a three-year-old hunting dog who was dumped as she was deemed no longer useful. We found her two months ago, abandoned, left to die alone in the forest. She was a pitiful sight: gaunt, covered in ticks and fleas…

She’s been really brave, she had to spend some time at the vet for all the necessary exams and treatments. It was a rough ordeal to endure for her! There’s still a long way to go before her full recovery… If we can't provide her with kibble, Baby's life is at stake - it’s crucial she gets quality kibble to gain weight and to have a chance to heal!”

4. Low donations and growing debts make it too hard to get kibble for the dogs: Armina needs this campaign to succeed!

“Donations have been dwindling recently, making it hard for us to cope with our mounting astronomical veterinary bills... We're constantly in debt to the vet, yet we can't afford to let up on the care our dogs need! We've been reaching out for help, but it's been quite unsuccessful. Locally, we have no support as the only person who supported us has moved abroad!

We've tried many things to keep our heads above water: we started fundraising and food-raising on social platforms, even organised an online bazaar selling hoodies and tote bags with our logo, or dog accessories like collars. All this, just to scrape together barely enough to feed our dogs for a short period of time... But it never lasts, so it’s never enough.

With the only funding we have coming from donations, and so many other costs to cover, we're running out of options to get kibble… We’re stressed out but we don’t want to let our dogs down! We want to continue giving our all for our dogs but we definitely need help!”

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

“This shelter has allowed us to save countless dogs from terrible fates: if it didn't exist, most of them would have ended up in the wild, in the streets, where they would have starved or been killed... Witnessing the horrors at the local pound and seeing many dogs being mistreated and neglected on a daily basis is what keeps my motivation strong! I feel incredibly lucky to spend time with dogs, they're such incredible animals and it brings so much joy!

Sadly, we had to stop saving dogs from the pound… They're asking us to pay for the dogs we rescue and we’re definitely unable to cover these fees! It’s a really cruel attitude… I wish for stricter enforcement of animal welfare laws and a decrease in abandonment, in our country. 

Sterilisation should be encouraged to avoid unwanted litters and abandonments, and dogs shouldn’t be bought like they’re stuffed animals, only to be discarded shortly after the puppy phase… We need more responsible ownership! Above all, if people could just love and respect animals more, we wouldn't be facing this crisis of abandoned dogs.”

6. If this campaign succeeds, Armina 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. Despite the help of a few unfailing supporters, the SPAS shelter is in too much of a bind to buy kibble: this campaign must succeed!

“Our only consistent partnership is with Prijedor Emergency, an Italian organisation, and a group of women from Slovenia who chip in occasionally… We've contacted countless international organisations and the answers have been disheartening. Some outright declined us, some never replied, and a few promised to consider us next year. 

The only individual who supported us locally now lives in Britain… She still supports us, though - for instance, she once ran a charity marathon in London for us, in order to raise some money. We're infinitely grateful for our dedicated supporters... but it's just not enough for the number of dogs in our care, unfortunately. 

We don't have any regular source of funding. Every single day is a struggle against limited resources… We need more people to support our shelter and help us keep our dogs safe and fed!”

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 Armina, 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 Armina's dogs, contact us and we will put you in touch!

If you want to come to Armina's shelter to help her, or if you want to send her directly some kibbles or a check, contact her 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.