Blue Cross Farm Animal Sanctuary
As the Croatian landscape appears through the window of the plane I am excited to meet with the people and animals of the vegan movement in Dalmatia, and to learn about their personal experiences along the plant-based path — journeys that are changing laws and lives and improving equality in welfare for animals and people across the country.
Arriving in Osijek, Eastern Croatia at the HQ for vegan organisation, Udruga Pobjede (facebook.com/Udruga.Pobjede), Hrvoje Harac, Zrinka Kosta, Ivana Crnoja, and Santa the dog welcome us. When these three friends visited an unregistered shelter over ten years ago, it was to change their lives forever. “I never dreamt that this would be my life, we had no experience in animal activism we were working and studying,” Svenka laughs. “We started a civil initiative to help the dogs and involved the local media coordinating actions in the shelter. People saw the change; they connected to what we were doing and wanted to help.” Two years later they formed the organisation and are now working to bring about animal welfare change with the minister of agriculture. The shelter itself is flanked in brightly coloured flowers, and modern art made from recycled products adorn the gates. A photo of a cow occupies an entire wall, and they use the shelter to promote veganism. Rescued dogs sit at our feet as we settle on seats made of old tyres and eat a homemade traditional dish of tofu and filo pastry, while Hrvoje talks about their community outreach work. “A key part of our work is to promote veganism. In schools we educate children in animal rights and protection. We open the shelter to the public and after an afternoon of volunteering, making new connections and meeting the dogs, we cook Croatian vegan food and answer questions about veganism. We welcome anyone travelling to come and join our family for the day.”