Every dog deserves a loving, happy home. Unfortunately, not all puppies get to enjoy this kind of life. SPCA was created to help animals. Many pets are born on the streets. Some are adopted by their owners after the novelty wears off.
There are many people like Dejan Gacic around the world who care deeply about animals.
Dejan and Svetlana, his mother, found a puppy in an elevator 20 years ago and brought him home. They started feeding the stray dogs in Cumic, Serbia.
They quickly became known in the community for their kindness to animals and began expanding their efforts.
Before they knew it, the mother and son had opened an animal shelter in 1997 and named it “Vucjak Shelter.” Unfortunately, Svetlana passed away after a few years, leaving Dejan as the sole caretaker of the shelter and its furry residents.
“My mother was a person with a strong personality and a strong character,” Dejan said about his mom.
“She abandoned her social life and moved to the village to live with the dogs. My mother and my mother were inseparable. I’m still talking to her and informing her about all of the issues and obstacles I face daily.”
Svetlana’s departure meant that the shelter’s work was more difficult than ever. Dejan started the shelter on his own and started taking hundreds, or even thousands of animals at a given time.
“In Serbia, the situation with stray dogs is dire,” he said. “Every day, people abandon their dogs. Every day, I get several calls from people who want to get rid of their dogs.”
According to the non-profit’s website, Vucjak Shelter’s mission is to “save every animal, and provide them with food, shelter, love, safety and medical care.”
True to his word, Dejan’s love for animals goes beyond these precious canines.
He bought land in the Gledic Mountains in 2014 and built a sanctuary there for wolves. Despite being Serbia’s national animal, these creatures are on the verge of extinction due to poachers. Other animals like cats and foxes are also taken care of by the shelter.
Dejan also stresses that dogs should be allowed to roam free on the property.
“All the dogs here are free to run,” he said. “There is no dogs on chains. Twenty-four hours, they are free.”
Dejan purchased a large home with lots of space and far from other people in order to house more animals. The man is doing the best he could with his resources, and he’s constantly looking to improve the living conditions of these loving creatures.
However, many animals found the pandemic a difficult time. More people are giving up their pets than ever before, so the shelter houses over a thousand wild and domestic animals.
Vucjak Shelter is similar to the SPCA in that it relies on donations and grants.
“This support allows the shelter to continue its work, and to give animals a dignified, safe and loving place to live,” the organization says on its website.
Luckily, the people of Serbia know the importance of Dejan’s work. The shelter is able to continue its operations and help more animals in dire need thanks to their support.
Dejan takes very few breaks due to the amount of work he must complete in a given day. However, he believes his efforts are well worth it.
“I love my dogs, they are my life. I’m trying to give everything to get more animals adopted to make more space for these animals. For most of my adopted dogs, I see photos every day… they have great lives. I wish that many dogs find new homes,” he said.
You may visit Vucjak Shelter website to find out how you can help support Dejan’s noble mission. You can also follow them on Instagram and Facebook for the most recent updates. You can also visit the SPCA website to learn how you can help animals.
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