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Abstract
Humans and animals have co-existed throughout history. Animals were usedfor food, clothing, work, but Tobit's dog in Bible is probably one of first pets ever mentioned. Not just Bible, but other written documents show those relations, mainly concerning either selling animals or resolving damages incurred by animals or by human to someone 's animal. Public administration played its role in trials towards animals and in conducting imposed sentences. Veterinarians have been providing inspections concerning animal health, food safety, etc. Lately, as our behaviour towards animals changed, public administration started providing protection for pets and later for abandoned and lost animals. The objective of this study is to show how relations drastically changed in less than 200 years. Previous legal documents concerning animal status and protection were analysed. The empirical research was conducted among 555 Croatian local self-government units. The results will show current situation vis-a-vis protection of abandoned and lost animals, and financial implications for local self-government units. Concluding remarks are based on survey results suggesting need for certain legal changes.
Keywords: public administration, animal protection, local self-government, animal shelter.
JEL Classification: K38
1. Introduction
Croatian new Animal Protection Act put heavy burden on local self-government units, not only financially, but also in their working and organizational structure obligations. Until 2017, local self-government units had option how to manage abandoned and lost animals, but only if deemed necessary. Local self-government units could set up shelter individually or jointly with one or more local self-government units or even sign a contract with already existing shelter. City of Zagreb was the only unit that established their own shelter, while minority of units signed a contract with some privately owned shelters. Majority of local self-government units considered that there are no problems with abandoned or lost animals in their territory. Article 61 of new Animal Protection Act regulates local self-government units' obligation to establish animal shelter. According to paragraph 1, any natural or legal person may establish a shelter. Paragraph 2 stipulates that if no animal shelter is established according to paragraph 1, the shelter is to be established by one or more local self-government units or City of Zagreb. Paragraph 3 mandates that if no shelter is established in the territory of regional self-government unit,...