Animal welfare activists warn horses are exposed to dangerous heat in Montenegro

Animal welfare activists in Montenegro are warning that several unattended horses near Podgorica have been left exposed to dangerous heat without shelter, water or food, as a late-June heatwave grips the region.

AP reported that temperatures in the area were reaching nearly 40 C (104 F) when the horses were seen on the outskirts of the capital, near an illegal dumpsite and unregistered improvised settlements. Activist Marta Darmanovic said the case shows how little protection exists for large animals in the country.

The episode has drawn attention to a broader gap in Montenegro's animal welfare system: while municipalities can house dogs and cats, there is no dedicated shelter for large animals such as horses, confiscated livestock or stray livestock. Darmanovic said that absence leaves officials with few practical options when animals are abandoned or seized.

Municipal limits

Branko Kovacevic, head of Podgorica's Municipal Inspection Administration, told AP that city authorities are trying to deal with large animals within existing regulations. He said the city has shelters for dogs and cats, but that horses and other abandoned domestic animals keep appearing.

Kovacevic also said that, as far as the law allows, the city is handling the problem, and that nobody is responsible for providing water or food for the animals.

Bigger welfare gap

The case lands against the backdrop of Montenegro's bid to join the European Union by 2028. AP noted that EU candidates are expected to have animal welfare laws in place, making the situation in Podgorica a test of both enforcement and infrastructure.

The immediate question is whether local or national authorities will move the horses to safer conditions, provide temporary water or shade, or intervene in a way that goes beyond current municipal capacity.

The broader issue is longer term: whether Montenegro will build facilities for confiscated or abandoned large animals before another heatwave turns a welfare problem into an emergency.