Albania is at an important moment in its development. As the country advances towards European Union accession, there is a growing focus on strengthening institutions, public policies, and standards in line with European values.

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Animal welfare is an important part of this progress.

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Yet animals across Albania continue to face serious challenges, including:

• Animal abandonment and overpopulation

• Abuse and neglect

• Limited access to veterinary services, particularly outside major cities

• Insufficient resources for sustainable, long-term solutions

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For many years, volunteers and civil society organisations have stepped in to fill these gaps, often working under extremely difficult circumstances.

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A Growing Pressure on Animal Welfare Organisations

Animal welfare organisations are under constant pressure to respond to emergency rescue cases. The sheer number of animals in need means that organisations are often required to dedicate significant time, funding, and human resources to immediate interventions.

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This pressure is also increasingly coming from international visitors who encounter abandoned, injured, or suffering animals during their time in Albania and turn to local organisations for help. While these interventions are essential, they come at a significant cost.

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The more resources required for emergency rescue, the fewer resources are available for prevention.

This can make it difficult for organisations to invest in programmes that address the underlying causes of animal suffering. Programmes such as responsible pet ownership, sterilisation, education, veterinary capacity building, and stronger systems for animal welfare.

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From Emergency Response to Prevention

We believe Albania has a unique and timely opportunity to rethink how animal welfare challenges are addressed.

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Rather than focusing primarily on managing the consequences of animal suffering, we need to explore how Albania can build the systems, policies, partnerships, and community support needed to prevent suffering in the first place.

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This conference aims to bring together government, municipalities, veterinary professionals, civil society organisations, animal welfare advocates, international partners, and other key stakeholders to begin that conversation.

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Together, we can explore practical, sustainable solutions that move Albania from a cycle of emergency response towards a future where animal suffering is prevented wherever possible.