Treatment is expensive. A person is not treated if they do not have health insurance policy or money to pay for the doctor’s services. The same happens to the stray animals that are struck by vehicles or get sick.
Contacted by Info-Prim Neo, the head of the animal protection organization ALGA Valentina Dudnic said there is no veterinary service in Chisinau that would deal with the injured or sick animals without owner. The doctors of veterinary clinics can go to the sick animals to give them aid, but this service costs. Thus, only the owners of purebred animals can afford to call the veterinarian at home.
Valentina Dudnicalso said that when the people call the veterinary clinics and report they found injured or sick animals, they are directed to ALGA. “We have an old car that we use to go after the animals, but we do not always have fuel to travel to the place,” said the organization’s head.
Asked to pronounce on the authorities’ lack of reaction to the cases when the injured dogs are left to die in the street, Stella Jantuan, deputy head of the parliamentary commission on human rights and interethnic relations, said the situation is difficult. According to her, the issue was addressed for numerous times, but no solution has been yet found to it, even if it is an acute problem. “The situation is much the same as in the case of people – you are treated if you have money; if you don’t, you can die in the street,” said the MP.
”In Chisinau, there are several private veterinary clinics and offices where the sick animals can be treated. But the services there are costly and they will not accept to treat an animal for which nobody can pay. The Moldovans say they want to form part of the EU, but certain realities in our country, like the situation of animals, do not exist in the European states. The mentality and behavior must be changed,” said Stella Jantuan.
Speaking about the legal aspect of the problem, the lawmaker said the traffic police consider the animals that are struck by vehicles on the roadway represent an impediment to traffic. If a car hits an animal, the owner faces a fine because they did not take care of the animals and thus caused a situation of accident. In the case of stray dogs, nobody can be held accountable. The driver risks nothing.
Under the Code of Administrative Offenses, the inhuman behavior towards animals is punished with a fine of up to 400 lei. The fine for not cleaning up after the owned animal is much higher – 1 000 lei.
An ambulance service for animals existed in Chisinau earlier. It was managed by the Union of Kinologists of Moldova. Sources in the Union said the service was provided for money, but is no longer offered because the car broke down.
Most of the Chisinau-based veterinary clinics contacted by Info-Prim Neo’s reporter said they treat stray animals only if they are taken to the clinic and if somebody covers the treatment costs plus about 100 lei per every day of rehabilitation.
[Mariana Galben, Info-Prim Neo]
