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Animal welfare activists in Montenegro worried about horses in scorching European heat
Activists say the horses lack shelter, water and food as municipal officials try to handle large animals under existing rules.
On Monday, June 29, 2026, unattended horses roamed the outskirts of Podgorica, Montenegro, in scorching heat reaching nearly 40 degrees Celsius without shelter, water, or food.
Animal protection activist Marta Darmanovic warned the horses are in danger just 4 kilometers from the city center, arguing Montenegro failed to provide infrastructure for large animals.
Branko Kovacevic, head of the Municipal Inspection Administration, said his agency handles large animals within regulations, but contended that "unfortunately, nobody is responsible" for providing water or food.
Montenegro, an Adriatic nation of 620,000 people, is attempting to join the European Union by 2028, but EU candidate nations must implement animal welfare laws the country has yet to establish.
Across Europe, extreme heat has broken temperature records, with Croatian zoo employee Zeljko Busljeta reporting animals receive ice cream and cold water, while regional temperatures are expected to fall on Tuesday.
The heat wave that is scorching Western Europe reached the Balkans this week, and animal welfare activists in small Montenegro have expressed alarm over the old problem of abandoned animals.