Croatia cracks down on pet abandonment with new penalties and awareness campaign

Official data from the animal‑welfare group Friends of Animals show that more than 10,000 dogs, cats and other pets are left on the streets of Croatia each year, with the highest numbers recorded between June and August when owners go on summer holidays.

In response, Croatian law now treats the abandonment of a domestic or wild animal as a criminal offence. Offenders can face up to one year in prison for leaving an animal, and up to two years if the abandonment results in the animal’s death or involves a large number of animals.

The long‑running public campaign “Obitelj na more, a pas na ulicu?!” – meaning “Family goes to the sea, the dog stays on the street?!” – is being promoted again by the Friends of Animals association and supported by local municipalities such as Stubičke Toplice. It urges owners to adopt shelter animals, emphasises responsible care, and seeks to lower the financial burden on local authorities that have to care for abandoned pets.