The case of Mila, a dog that has been found in Belgrade's suburb with her paws cut off and left to bleed to death, is “just a culmination of general atmosphere and attitude this society has towards animals”, said Danica Drobac, a president of Belgrade-based cooperative of Brigitte Bardot Foundation.
The story has gotten a lot of attention in the Serbian media but Drobac said their organization, The European Initiative 17, comes across new cases of animal cruelty every day.
“The media don't report on cases of crimes against animals, the police and the relevant authorities are not interested in that problem. They simply don't do their job. We live in a society where torture, abuse and killings of animals are tolerated!” she said to Provoices.
It is assumed that Mila, a mixed breed dog about one year old, was laying with her paws cut off for days. B92 reports that Miomir Andjelkovic, a veterinarian to whom she was brought, said it was a miracle that she has survived.
The Mayor of Belgrade, Dragan Djilas, has announced that the city will provide funds for prosthetic limbs, which are the only solution for Mila to walk again.
For anyone who cares about animals, Serbia may not be the place to live in. Drobac and other activists of similar organizations seem to be lonely in their struggle for animal rights. Due to a lack of institutional support, many are even financing the rescuing projects from their own pocket.
“I often receive calls in the middle of the night from people who find abandoned puppies left at the street in carton boxes!” she told to Provoices.
Serbia has adopted Criminal Law which treats animal cruelty as felony in 2006. But, having in mind the number of monstrous cases of animals abuse, the way from adapting to implementing the law seems to be far too long.
“I am going to address an open letter to Serbian President, Boris Tadic, and Minister of Interior, Ivica Dacic, asking them - are we going towards the membership in the European Union with cases of killed puppies, jackals and eagles hanged on the tree, and the dog with all four paws cut off? Everyone talks of Europe, but Europe is also about the system of values we should adapt first!”, said Drobac.
Unlike the puppies that were killed and hanged up the tree in March in the city of Nis, Mila has managed to survive. The medical prothesis she needs are not produced in Serbia so she is waiting for help from abroad. According to B92, until a new home and a solution for her condition has been found, Mila will stay at the veterinary surgery.
