“We’re really out of money. Christmas has long passed, the opportunity to pay the two percent tax is still far away and the number of dogs forced to rescue is increasing,” began Veronika Dosoudilová, director of the dog shelter operated by Dog Azyl PT in Nagymegyer, not too optimistically.
The shelter, which can accommodate 100 dogs, currently has 160 dogs. The number of employees increased drastically after the end of the Covid epidemic. During the lock-down, she got a happy-unhappy dog, on the one hand to keep the children busy, and on the other hand to give them a reason to go for walks outside. After the restrictions were eased, school started, the work schedule was restored, and the dog became cranky. Many people made the most irresponsible decision possible, simply throwing the dog away. Each shelter had a constant admission curve, but after the coronavirus, this increased exponentially. The current situation is worse than it was 10 years ago, which, according to the director, can clearly be attributed to the epidemic.
They save about 350 dogs every year, and their annual veterinary expenses amount to 60-70 thousand euros. The cost for one dog is 200-250 euros (neutering, chipping, deworming) if it is not in a traumatic state, i.e. it does not need surgery or special treatment. In most cases, they throw out very young dogs, max. 1 year old, or leave the old ones to their fate, who remained there after the death of the elderly owners, and although the inherited house and land are taken, no one needs the dog.
Rescuing dogs and maintaining dog shelters is not a gentleman’s pastime or a forced activity of a couple of animal lovers. Their main task is to collect discarded animals, which do not endanger public safety, do not wander in packs on the streets, playgrounds or roads, obstructing traffic. Similar to how it happens even today, for example, in Romania. Dog shelters are supposed to keep this under control.
Dog Azyl’s March balance sheet: 13 fostered dogs and 32 newly admitted ones. Without foreign cooperation, the situation would be even worse. Fortunately, they have a very good cooperation with a shelter in Germany, which regularly accepts dogs from them. In Germany, they are over buying and keeping fashion dogs. Much more important is the dog’s nature and behavioral habits, which can be guaranteed in the case of a dog from a shelter.
“There are four of us who deal with the dogs on a daily basis, a couple of volunteers also come on weekends, but we need much more. Neither are we, we are emotionless, in fact. Of course, empathy is very important, but we would get nowhere by crying and complaining. Everything that is necessary must be done here, mechanically. This is the only way we can help the tortured and abandoned dogs,” concluded Dosoudilová with a very rational argument.
You can support the shelter operated by Nagymegyeri Dog Azyl PT with 2 percent of your tax or a monetary donation to the following transparent account number:
IBAN: SK 27 1100 0000 0029 2685 7357. According to Mahatma Gandhi: “The greatness and moral development of a nation is faithfully reflected in the way it treats animals.”
