In a first, the Food and Veterinary Agency (AHV) fined a pet owner 500 EUR for abandoning his dog and her three puppies.

The fine was issued after it was confirmed that the man was the owner of the dog. An animal rights group took the dogs in and then filed a report with AHV. In his defense, the owner said that the dog ran away.

Macedonian cities face rampant problems with stray dogs and recently their removal from the streets, especially in the capital Skopje, has been reduced as animal rights activists were put in charge of the city shelter. It is hoped that fining owners who abandon their dogs would be one way to reduce the stray population.