Stichting dierenopvang Bosnië
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I do to help?
That depends, do you have free time to spend as a volunteer, do you wish to join us on a trip or are you only able to help from a distance? If you really want to become an active volunteer, it is useful to first think about your time and boundaries. If you are thinking about coming on a trip, it is best to check out the reports made on trips(Dutch) to get an impression.
If you want support us you can do this by making one or more donation(s)!
Where is my money going?
All the money will directly benefit the dogs. The overall costs for things like postage, telephone, administration, are very low. The foundation is ran entirely by volunteers. We publish our annual reports, so you can check it any time.
I would like to become a volunteer for the SDB, who should I approach?
You can send an email to info@hondenopvang.com
But before you contact us, you must think carefully about what you can do for our foundation.
I've collected stuff, what to do next?
That's great, but beware, we can transport little to Bosnia, so we are quite picky. And next to that it depends where you are located. Just send us an email! Info@hondenopvang.com
Are you bringing many dogs to the Netherlands?
No.
Our priority is working through sterilization and education. So it is not our main goal. But sometimes there are lucky dogs that earn a warm home. For more information about foreign dogs in general: Buz (Dutch website)
Where are you located in the Netherlands?
We are spread throughout the entire country.
Dordrecht is our postal address, but there are volunteers from Maastricht to Groningen, and Amsterdam to Hengelo.
How can I make a donation?
For information about donating, please send us an email info@hondenopvang.com for details.
If you would like to transfer money, you need this code: IBAN: NL11 PSTB 0009 4746 94 BIC:PSTBNL21
Can I come to Bosnia?
Yes, but there are some steps to be taken. We will have a talk first, when there is a click, there is no doubt from both sides and there is place within a group you can join us.
But you will have to realize that everything is at your own expense. For one weeks you'll soon pay up to 300 euros. That seems a lot, but it is an experience for life
Do you have a shelter in the Netherlands?
No! We only have shelter facilities in Bosnia. We are always looking for new foster families who possibly can guide dogs from Bosnia to the adoption.
Can I do an internship?
Yes, but the procedure is the same as for the question "Can I come to Bosnia"
Doctors, assistants, caretakers, trimmers, it does not really matter. If you think the internship in Bosnia meets your training, you are more than welcome.
Why is transporting stuff to Bosnia so difficult?
Bosnia is not a member of the EU. That makes it especially difficult because we must pass two borders. For example, for transporting food, we need an enormous amount of papers, including a statement by a Dutch veterinarian that the food is reliable. For Dutch veterinarians that it is almost impossible to assess, since the food was stored on another location.
We also need a certificate of origin, this document must be issued by the manufacturer. 9 out of 10 times we are not getting this, not even when we request it.
So we can only take food in our cars when we go to Bosnia, but even then we must be very cautious to avoid fines.
Why work in Bosnia while the animals in the Netherlands need help too?
It is impossible to compare two extremes. Bosnia has no big animal protection organization, political party in favor of animals or a shelter in every city.
Bosnia does have hunters and people who think that killing animals is the best solution.
The cliché “loving animals does not end at the border of your country” is certainly applicable for us.
And regarding the often-cited drop in the ocean, we are happy to drop, who knows, one day the bucket will overflow.
We are sometimes discouraged by all the negative comments. We work hard for the animals, and we are just an organization that primarily focuses on tackling the problem locally.
Yes, we occasionally take a dog into the Netherlands.
If you are interested in having an open discussion on this issue, let us know. We like to explain how and why.