Montenegro

Montenegro is known for its breathtaking landscapes, but behind this beauty lies a serious and ongoing stray dog crisis. The majority of stray dogs are not born on the streets: they are abandoned.

It is not only mixed-breed dogs that are affected. Many purebred dogs roam the streets, especially hunting breeds such as hounds and setters, as well as guardian breeds like Kangals and Šarplaninac dogs. These dogs are often discarded once they are no longer “useful” for hunting or guarding, or when they become sick or injured.

Another heartbreaking reality is that newborn puppies are frequently dumped in cardboard boxes, often near garbage containers, left to die without any chance of survival.

A major contributing factor is the difficult socio-economic situation. Many local people struggle financially, while the cost of living is steadily rising toward EU price levels. Combined with cultural or religious beliefs, dogs are often not sterilized, which directly fuels the overpopulation problem.

There are some positive initiatives: in cooperation with NGOs, programs exist that allow owners to sterilize their dogs at 50% reduced cost. However, these efforts are still not enough to tackle the scale of the problem.

Although laws regarding animal welfare exist, they are rarely enforced. As long as enforcement remains weak, the problem continues to grow. Illegal poisonings still occur, and those responsible are almost never held accountable. In some cases, poisoning is even linked to powerful interests, such as businesses or resorts wanting to remove dogs from certain areas. Corruption plays a significant role in sustaining this situation.