March the 4th, 2021 - Whether a dog does a disappearing act accidentally or is horribly dumped, Croatian dog owners could face considerable fines if they neglect to have microchips implanted into their furry friends.

In addition to mandatory vaccinations and the like, Croatian dog owners must now absolutely microchip their four-legged pals if they want to remain on the right side of the law and avoid fines of up to 6000 kuna. 

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, a petition was recently launched to finally making keeping dogs (and indeed cats, although the former is more commonplace) tied up on properties by chains, ropes or leashes. Now the emphasis is being placed on Croatian dog owners and the need for microchipping.

A dog which has decided to scamper off too far following the trail of a cat or a squirrel and become lost, or indeed a dog who has been cruelly abandoned by uncaring humans can be more easily dealt with, as can their owners in the latter case, if they are properly microchipped. The animal can have its chip read at the nearest veterinary clinic, making it easier to return the dog home or indeed make a case against a negligent owner more solid.

Here in Zagreb, the Department for the Supervision of the Keeping and Treatment of Animals of the Communal Police is in charge of supervising the chipping of local dogs. The fines for non-compliance with this rule for Croatian dog owners range from 2,000 to as much as 6,000 kuna, and for legal entities those figures climb much higher, ranging from between 10,000 to a massive 30,000 kuna.

¨It is reasonable to expect that by increasing the number of microchipped dogs, less of them will end up abandoned, so this is a useful measure. By avoiding this, the consequences and costs of irresponsible dog ownership are borne by the community. Every veterinarian knows that after receiving a dog that was found somewhere, they must first check the identity of the animal before beginning any sort of procedure,¨ Lea Kreszinger, president of the Department of Veterinary Practice in Croatia, pointed out for Vecernji list.

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January the 28th, 2021 - Just how has the ongoing coronavirus pandemic affected Croatian pets? Croatian vets from one Zagreb faculty are seeking to find out more about precisely that, offering Croatian residents a chance to describe how Croatian pets dealt with their owners being infected with the novel coronavirus.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Marija Crnjak writes, the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Zagreb has invited interested Croatian residents who own pets to participate in the research on the impact of the stay of pets in households with COVID-19 positive owners on their health.

As they explained, the daily increase in the number of new coronavirus cases is also accompanied by a greater possibility of infection of pets with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Although it has been proven that pets are not a source of infection for their owners, the impact of coronavirus infection on the health of our pets is almost completely unknown. At the same time, insufficient scientific knowledge remains a valid concern to both animal owners and the general public.

“We want to offer owners the possibility of a clinical examination of Croatian pets in order to establish signs of respiratory infection and test pets for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. At the Clinics of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, we'll perform a clinical examination of such pets, take some blood samples, swabs of mucous membranes and X-rays,'' they explained.

In order for pet owners to apply to participate in the study, it is necessary to have a COVID-19 positive test result from the owner or another household member (PCR or rapid antigen test), proof of ownership of the animal and a completed attached questionnaire.

The questionnaire is somewhat more extensive and consists of two parts: data on the animal and data on the owner and members of the household who were infected.

“The data from this questionnaire is extremely important to us so that we can give guidance to owners in the future on how best to protect their pets from infection. We emphasise that all data from the completed questionnaire will be confidential and will be collected and stored in accordance with the General Regulation on Personal Data Protection,'' they stated, noting that the examination and testing of Croatian pets who have owners who are currently positive and as such in isolation will be carried out only after the expiration of the prescribed period of isolation.

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