Dear all;

As you can see from this site, there have been some changes this week.

I need to explain one major change a little more; but which I think is now essential.

Back in 2005 I became very involved in the issue of stray dogs and cats in Serbia (Europe).  I made contact, and worked with the wonderful ‘Slavica’ who was a Serbian activist and stray dog shelter owner. 

To begin with, we just worked together simply writing protest letters etc to the government on the issue of strays abuse.  But deep down inside I very much felt that more needed to be done in order to give stray animals a voice.  So, in conjunction with Slavica, who was a medical doctor specialising in tumours, I set up a site which was named ‘Serbian Animals Voice’, or SAV. 

Here is the link to the site:  Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) | a voice for the voiceless if you wish to have a look.

Slavica (pictured above) was the prime contact at the Serbian end; she was a brilliant campaigner; friend and top voice for the animals.  So, in the early days, our language differences (I am English) and the mutual understanding of issues was ‘difficult’ in some respects to say the least. Often we had to check and re check what message(s) we wanted to get across, because of our worries that what was being experienced in Serbia would not be represented correctly in the posts that we published on SAV.

But gradually over time, Slavica and I easily understood each other in the ways of thinking; what we wanted to say and in sharing our common objective of getting a public light to shine on the treatment and suffering of the poor Serbian strays.

Very sadly, like all good people who are taken far too early; we lost Slavica recently; but on a good note, before her untimely death, she did witness the closure of the fur farming industry in Serbia; something which we had worked together hard on as information suppliers to the crew at ‘Respect for Animals’ who are based here in Nottingham, England – Respect for Animals | Campaign against animal fur – Fur for Animals

 

Serbian fur farming – serbia | Search Results | Respect for Animals – an issue which we were involved with.

So, over the past few years, SAV has been operating simply as an additional link source for visitors to divert over to this site, WAV.  There is nothing new about the Serbian situation. The whole issue of why SAV was founded in 2005 and existed; which was to show all actions we took to try and prevent Serbian stray animal suffering; kind of got lost in this link supplier only to WAV posts.

So now I feel that the SAV site must remain; but in the form of an ‘archive’ site only; in order that anyone can read and select from the list of hundreds of issues that we fought for in the Balkans.  On the left hand side of the SAV site,  Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) | a voice for the voiceless , you can see a long list of ‘Archives’ associated with our work.  In a lot of cases it does not make pleasant reading and the photos / videos are often graphic; but this is the reality of strays in Serbia, as with animal abuse the world over.  Further, I want the site to remain as a tribute to the incredible work which was undertaken by Slavica in Serbia.

In 2011 – We exposed and eventually shut down an illegal zoo – Serbia: 27/07/11 – Investigations Reveal An Illegal Zoo Confirmed Operating, Combined With A Minister Who Appears Unable To Perform His Job Requirements ! | Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)

Around 2015, despite threats from the Serbian government about closing down stray dog shelters, we exposed that Serbian sheep were being exported live.  The government threats eventually came to nothing as we got the EU involved; all the stray dog shelters stayed safe:

Serbia: It Now Appears The Sheep Exported Live To Israel WERE From Serbia; Despite The Threats. | Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)

 

Serbia: Breaking News – Serbia Exports Live Sheep To Israel. | Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)

And of course, the closure of the Serbian fur farming industry.

As I say, all this and loads more can be found on the SAV site.   SAV is now going to be an archive of work undertaken primarily in Serbia and other Balkans states, it will not continue to be used solely to promote WAV links only.

Here are a few shortcut links for SAV if you want to look or find out more:

Home – Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) | a voice for the voiceless

Learn about Serbian strays and the law – About Serbian Animals. | Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)

About Us – About Us. | Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)

Links to other animal organisations – Animal Org’s | Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)

 

So, from now, all WAV posts will appear directly on this site only, with no cross referencing from SAV; which will remain solely as an archive for Serbian work.

I hope you understand the thinking and subsequent actions;

Remembering Slavica;

Regards Mark