First OIE regional Workshop on (national strategy) Stray Dog population management for Balkan countries Topic 3
Improving the level of coordination at national level Bulgarian experience Dr PETYA PETKOVA Bucharest / Romania – 17-19 June 2014
Who we are?
üArea- 110,994 km2 üRegions (provinces )- 28 üMunicipalities - 264
Coordination /Cooperation Coordination - proper order or relationship Cooperation - working together to accomplish shared goals
Coordination
Veterinary Services should play a lead role in preventing zoonotic diseases and ensuring animal welfare and should be involved in dog population control, coordinating their activities with other
competent public institutions and/or agencies.
Multistakeholders approach: Need for coordination ? Municipalities, Local Authorities Animal Welfare Associations
Veterinary Service Private vets
University
Media
National legislation
“Responsible ownership” promotion & education
Citizens
Local resources
Dog population control programs
National and Regional Government
Why coordination ? Article 7.7.4. Responsibilities and competencies: The Veterinary Authority is responsible for the implementation of animal health and animal welfare legislation, in coordination with other competent government agencies and institutions “Coordination” – must exists or there is No organization, only EXPERIENCE
Coordination - proper order or relationship Animal Health and Welfare Directorate
28 Regional Food Safety Agency Departments
Municipal Official Vets-340
Municipalities / Shelters
ü Department “Animal welfare” within “AH&W” Directorate “ at the HQ at BFSA
ü Regional Food Safety Directorates (RFSD) : the heads of departments “Animal health” and AW experts regional level
ü 340 Official municipal veterinarians in 264 municipalities
ü 264 Municipalities/ 35 Shelters Article 7.7.4. Responsibilities and competencies
Types of coordination üInternal: within the veterinary service
Animal Health and Welfare Directorate
28 Regional Food Safety Agency Departments
üExternal: between veterinary services and municipalities
Municipal Official Vets-340
Municipalities / Shelters
Effective Coordination & Cooperation
• ……hallmark of the successful management implementation • …clear rules and responsibilities • …does not occur by chance • …occurs when the essential components required for each activity are ensured.
Clear rules and responsibilities Registration dogs (national database)
Control on pet trade
Animal Welfare Department
Organize training for control and implementation of the stray dog control programmes Collect, analyse and summarize the data on the implementation of the SDCPs Control the implementation of the SDCPs Shelters standards
Prepare the annual reports for the implementation of the SDCPs and send them to the Minister of agriculture and food
Financial aid to the municipalities
Draft, control and implement the SDCP at municipality level Keep a register of the domestic dogs at municipal level Control over the pet owners at municipal level Building of castration centers and shelters
264 Municipalities Collect, analyse and summarize the data on the implementation of the SDCP at the relevant municipality Summarize the data on the salmonella surveillance costs incurred at regional level
Waste management
Send annual reports to “Animal Welfare” Department at BFSA
Requisites for good coordination (1) üDirect contact: by direct personal contacts üRequired in group activity üContinuous process (Continuity): coordination is a continuous process and it must go in all the time, starting from the planning stage üCreativity üDeliberate effort
Requisites for good coordination (2) Direct contact and group activities: - meetings between Animal welfare department and municipalities ü -
Discussion of: Ideas Goals Views
and - Misunderstandings (can be removed much more efficiently then by any other method)
Requisites for good coordination (3) ü Continuous process (Continuity): ü On monthly basis ü Since: July 2013 …………. - round table discussions - training - practical exercises - sharing best practices - feedback
Direct contacts: Discussion and trainings ü Main topics covered: § § § § § § §
responsible pet ownership evaluation of the effectiveness of the SDCPs shelter standards stray dog control legislation main principles/ procedures of dog catching evaluation of the dog population new legislative requirements
Importance of coordination (1) Ø Integration of group efforts: Sharing best practices Ø Helps to resolve conflicts: Internal – between the municipalities (movement of stray dogs) and External – society, NGOs, etc (bite incidents, environmental problems…) Ø Facilitate mutual dependence
Importance of coordination (2) Ø Development of team spirit Ø Better relations Team building Ø Optimum use of resources Human and financial – sharing between the municipalities Ø Encourages initiatives
Coordination - procedures ü Improving the legislation ü Changes of the legislation - when gaps are identified ü Standard operational procedures within the shelters ü Animal welfare standards
Coordination in dog I & R (Article 7.7.6. p. 2 Registration and identification of dogs (licensing))
6 weeks
4 months üDeclaration by the owner üAnnual fee (payment document)
üIdentification üPassport üVaccination against rabies üDevorming
National campaign “Register your dog"
Responsible pet ownership (Article 7.7.1 and 7.7.6. p. 1. Education and legislation for responsible ownership )
Ø Common awareness campaigns Ø Increased controls and sanctions for: ü Non registered and identified dogs ü Dogs without leash ü Not cleaning the dog feaces ü Annual dog fee
Control & Enforcement (Article 7.7.6. Control measures) • Control for the compliance – by the veterinary service and local authorities • Increased sanctions • Enforcement of the existing national and local legislation • Local people/ voluntaries
Control & Enforcement
Article 7.7.6. p. 8 .Control of dog movements – within country (e.g. leash laws, roaming restrictions)
Education (Article 7.7.6. Control measures, point 1 Education)
ü Essential for the long – term solution of the problem ü Common approach in all of the municipalities within the country ü Same message from all stakeholders
Cooperation in the pet trade Article 7.7.6. p. 7 Control of dog movement – international (export/import)
ü Common control of the animal markets ü National guidelines for the commercial transport of dogs and cats ü Written procedures for the commercial transport of dogs and cats, which are not covered by the Council Regulation 998/2003/ЕО (repealed by Council Regulation 576 /2013 – enter into force 28 December 2014)
Evaluation of the efectiveness Article 7.7.7 Monitoring and evaluation of dog population control programmes • •
• • • • • • •
Procedures and Training Clear Indicators (How do we know we are doing a good job)
Impounded animal numbers Increased adoptions Aggressive animal incidents Euthanasia rate Percent of animals licensed Number of ordinance violations Financial performance
Weak points/ challenges ü o
ü o o o
Di co rec a n nta t c o d c cts nt an w act be eak : by Lack or unsuffitiant : re po di m in r e Financial and human ov ts ct e d ca p e Legislation: n rs be on di a l Needs to be realistic, practical and clear; sc us Needs adequate provision for enforcement se d Balance the need for penalties with education
ü Poor planning of the municipality programmes ü Unsuffitiant or No evaluation of the efectiveness of the programmes
Conclusion The good COORDINATOR is a good Leader and the good Leader is a good MANAGER
COORDINATOR
MANAGER
Thank you for your attention! Dr. PETYA PETKOVA OIE AW NATIONAL FOCAL POINT Tel.:+359 2 915 98 42 E-mail:
[email protected]
