Prijatelji životinja calls for specialized inspection service in Croatia

The animal rights organization ‘Prijatelji životinja’ has formally requested the Croatian government, specifically Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, to establish a specialized Animal Protection Inspection service.

The request follows several high-profile cases of severe animal neglect in Dvor, the Učka region, and Biograd. In these instances, reports of starving, sick, or deceased animals were allegedly ignored by authorities for months or even years, leading to catastrophic outcomes. The organization highlights that current veterinary inspectors are overburdened, as they must simultaneously manage animal health, infectious diseases, food safety, and transport regulations.

To address these systemic weaknesses, the association proposes legislative changes to the State Inspectorate Act and the Animal Protection Act. They argue that a dedicated inspection service would allow for better risk assessment, faster response times to reports, and more specialized oversight of animal welfare and neglect cases.