In July this year, we reported that members of the Animal Aid Association wanted the municipal authorities to implement an animal homelessness prevention programme, under which, among other measures, sterilisation and neutering procedures as well as comprehensive vaccinations for free-roaming dogs and cats would be provided. “My role is to make sure that this programme sees the light of day,” Anna Ryżewska, president of SPZ, told us at the time. Grażyna Strzyżewska, head of the Municipal Department of the City Office, promised the organisation’s members that the draft resolution on the matter would be submitted to the City Council in May.

The councillors did not familiarise themselves with it until October. During the session held on Wednesday, 28 October, the Council did not approve the animal homelessness prevention programme. “There are so many human needs. PLN 280,000 for dogs and cats. Such an amount, even though I personally like animals, should not be considered at all,” said Eugeniusz Kowalski, a Law and Justice councillor, during Wednesday’s meeting. “I will not be politically correct. I believe that people are more important than animals. I will vote against it.”

Irena Dul of the Democratic Left Alliance held a different view. “This resolution is entirely consistent with the Animal Protection Act,” she stressed.

“As a Council, we allocate about PLN 120,000 for the homeless. These are people we must care for,” said Stanisław Andrusieczko, a Democratic Left Alliance councillor. “This resolution refers to PLN 680,000 [chodzi o szacunkowe koszty wprowadzenia programu (280 tys.) oraz ewentualną partycypację Gminy Miejskiej w rozbudowie schroniska w Dłużynie (400 tys. zł) – przyp red.]. We cannot afford it. As a councillor, I will never agree to such a sum.”

Dominik Chodyra of Law and Justice asked whether the mayor had signed the draft resolution merely because he wanted to “obtain peace of mind” from the members of the Animal Aid Association. Jarosław Kowalski of the Bolesławiec XXI caucus said that he supported implementing the animal homelessness prevention programme, but not in the form proposed in the resolution. Meanwhile, Hubert Prabucki, a councillor representing Ziemia Bolesławiecka, stated that in his view “the draft resolution was largely forced by the Association.”

The Council rejected the programme. Thirteen councillors voted against it. Only two female councillors (Irena Dul and Ewa Ołenicz-Bernacka of Civic Platform) voted in favour. Cezariusz Rudyk, Mirosław Sakowski (both from Civic Platform), and Janusz Kozioł of Ziemia Bolesławiecka abstained.

Updated 2009-10-29 18:40

Below we present a comment from Anna Ryżewska, president of SPZ:

I will not hide the fact that I am very disappointed by the attitude of the City Council. I have personally been involved in introducing the programme since February 2009, when the mayor first met with Bolesławiec veterinarians, including two from the District Veterinary Inspectorate. At that time, all the veterinarians supported the introduction of free sterilisation, treatment and food.

Treating animal-related issues like the proverbial ball and chain is truly counterproductive. Many local governments began spending money on animals independently several years ago, without support from associations. Why? Because they respect the law, because we are in the European Union, and finally because “an animal, as a living being capable of experiencing suffering, is not a thing. A human being owes it respect, protection and care.” It is a pity that before the vote you, councillors, did not familiarise yourselves with the provisions that clearly state that “public administration bodies undertake actions to protect animals” and, for this purpose, “cooperate with the veterinary self-government, the State Veterinary Inspection and other institutions whose statutory purpose is animal protection.”

Before the vote, the councillors did read the estimated costs of implementing the programme, which indicated that the total would amount to PLN 280,000. This figure was excessively inflated and misleading to the councillors. The actual costs are: sterilisation – PLN 50,000, and treatment of sick animals – PLN 30,000. That is all.

Food for homeless cats was also important to the Association. PLN 20,000 to 40,000 would have been enough for this purpose, but the councillors were given an estimated food cost of PLN 80,000. The cost of implementing the programme was therefore PLN 80,000 to 120,000, not PLN 280,000 plus an additional PLN 400,000 outside the programme for expanding the shelter in Dłużyna. Contributing to the cost of expanding the shelter in Dłużyna was the mayor’s idea; he has long opposed building a shelter in Bolesławiec, saying “it is so expensive and there is nowhere to build.” Meanwhile, sending one dog to the shelter in Jelenia Góra costs PLN 800.

I invite all councillors to visit the allotments, cellars and other places where kittens will begin to be born as early as January. After about four weeks, when they start needing supplementary food, they will wander around hungry, infested with worms and fleas, and often ill and in need of immediate help. The sight stays in one’s memory, I assure you. I invite the councillors and the mayor to answer calls concerning hungry, sick cats and dogs that have nowhere to go. I invite you to Zieleń Plan, where the dogs staying there are better off only thanks to a group of people from the Association, because until June—even though the City Office had spent considerable funds—the animals did not even have clean water, let alone food.

Finally, I would like to sincerely thank the two female councillors who voted for introducing the programme, and the veterinarians who have always supported it. I thank all members of the Animal Aid Association—for their compassion and work.

(information ii)