Prijatelji životinja warns heirs of legal responsibility for pets

The animal welfare organization Prijatelji životinja has highlighted the legal responsibilities of heirs regarding pets following the death of a caregiver. This follows a case in Zagreb where a blind cat and a sick 16-year-old cat were found abandoned in a cardboard box after their owner passed away. While the fate of approximately 27 other cats owned by the deceased remains unknown, criminal charges for animal abandonment have been filed against the heir.

Legal experts and the organization emphasize that animals become the responsibility of heirs even if they are not specifically listed in a will or inheritance decision. This principle was supported by a ruling from the County Court in Slavonski Brod, which concluded that heirs are obligated to care for a pet inherited from a deceased person. Under the Animal Protection Act, abandoning a domestic animal is prohibited, and criminal law provides for prison sentences of up to one or two years for such offenses.