As part of a government program, a number of animal shelters in the country, including the Dog House Animal Shelter in Debrecen, have received pet food donations.
In connection with this, László Pósán, Member of Parliament, said in a press conference held at the animal shelter: there was no example of any government in Hungary claiming the same level of animal welfare as the current one. Along with changing the requirements of the Animal Welfare Act – basically tightening it – the government is also trying to contribute to the provision of animal shelters, so more than 200 shelters in the country have received 500 kilograms of pet food donations each. The aim will continue to be to support responsible animal husbandry and shelters for animals left on the streets by their irresponsible owners. László Pósán expressed his hope that the strengthening of the economy of the country, including Debrecen, would provide more and more opportunities for support not only from the government’s point of view but also locally.
Deputy Mayor Diánles Szées emphasized that the Caring City program applies not only to the citizens of Debrecen but also to the animals living here. Two years ago, a program was launched at the city’s Ebrenade site to provide high-quality housing conditions for captured stray animals and to assist in the adoption process. For the latter, those interested in the work on the website, which presents the work of the colony, can constantly find information about the animals that can be adopted. With all this, Debrecen has essentially gone ahead of the requirements of the new animal protection legislation, so it can set an example for other settlements as well. The local government is planning new developments this year as well, which will keep in touch with the non-governmental organizations dealing with animal protection and will try to coordinate its activities as animal-friendly as possible, thus supporting the government’s animal welfare efforts and responsible animal husbandry. Diána Széles especially thanked the members of the Debrecen Parliament for supporting the fact that animal protection should become and will continue to be a particularly important government strategy.
Csaba Bernáth, the president of the Dog House Association, said that almost 200 dogs are currently being cared for in the animal shelter. He thanked for the 500 kilograms of pet food and was pleased that the government had taken steps to tighten animal welfare legislation. He stressed the importance of teaching both children and adults about responsible animal husbandry, that it should only be undertaken in a well-thought-out way. In addition to responsible animal husbandry, neutering can make a significant contribution to reducing the number of stray animals. As this is a costly intervention, government support can play a major role in making that solution available to more and more dog and cat keepers.
Debrecen City Hall Press
