Animal shelter “Paw in the heart” need help to survive

Non - profit organization "Šapa u srcu" (lit. trans. Paw in the heart) is located in Skradnik, Croatia (Europe)

and founded by Anica Pribanić, a woman who dedicated her whole life to saving dogs and cats.

Anica, her family and a few volunteers built a shelter from scratch next to their house.

Primarily it's a dog shelter. Cats have their own place next to the house.

Dogs that get along are divided in packs, but every pack has a space of their own to walk freely.

Puppies, dogs and cats that are in need of treatment are situated inside the house.

OVER 200 HAPPILY ADOPTED DOGS AND CATS

In the past three years, over 200 dogs are happily adopted and there are over 60 dogs present in the shelter

at all times. One gets adopted, but new ones come in the same day or in the next few days.

Currently, some dogs had to be transferred to a nearby location because Anica hasn't got enough money

to do construction work to expand the shelter so it can hold all the dogs together.

There are efforts to do so in the near future.

SHELTER DEPENDS ON DONATIONS TO SURVIVE

As for the funding, to this day Anica and her husband give 30% of needed funds from their private budget

and 70% are raised from donations. Without donations the shelter would have to shut down.

But donations are not regular so there are times when food supplies are extremely low,

the organization is always in debt for provided medical care and always struggling with collecting

money for neutering, vaccinations and other needs.

WHY IS NEUTERING CRUCIAL?

Neutering is crucial because so many dogs are staying together freely in one place.

Integrating a new dog to the pack, making sure the packs are separated at all times and getting along

among themselves is tiresome enough without the additional worries of dogs in heat.

If all dogs were to be neutered, it would be much easier for Anica to socialize them and expand packs.

The shelter is surviving on donations and is always lacking something - either food supplies, either space

for new dogs, either money for medical care - and the money for sterilizations and castrations is the

hardest to come by.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Often, dogs and cats arrive in very bad shape, neglected or hurt by humans, but Anica fights for each one

of them, gives all she's got to revive them and find a loving home. She tries to give every dog attention

every day, but as you can imagine, that alone is a hard job for just one person considering there are always

over 60 dogs in her care.

Some of them sick, some are puppies without a mother that ask for special care, some need socialization

and every one of them need food, fresh water and clean space every day.

Anica is working hard all day long.

Without the help of good people, she would be forced to give up and close down the shelter.

She founded a non-profit association "Šapa u srcu" (lit. trans. "Paw in the heart") hoping to get finances from the City of Ogulin (it's in their jurisdiction), but unfortunately, to this day there's no understanding from the authorities for her struggle and no support what so ever.

If they were to finance anyone it would probably be a dog pound, because the law for animal protection in Croatia works in favor of dog pounds.

In other words, they are more likely to financially support dog killing shelters than people like Anica

and organizations that are not in this for profit, but who truly love animals and their only interest is

to save them.

That's why it's all the more important to support organizations like this one.

Thank you in advance for every donation you can give. :)

Every amount counts and if we join forces Anica's shelter will rise stonger and she will be able to continue

saving animals.

Thank you! :)