Donna was a city dog, used to people, who walked freely through the streets of Novi Sad, which was the case on Friday, when she walked with students in a protest column.
A memorial gathering was held in front of Novi Sad’s City Hall on Sunday to honor Dona, the dog tragically run over during a protest two days earlier.
“This gathering serves as a warning—both people and animals have been trampled, and such behavior is simply unacceptable,” stated the event’s organizers, as reported by portal 021.
Dona was a well-known city dog, familiar with people, freely roaming the streets of Novi Sad. On Friday, she joined students in a protest march, just as she had done many times before.
According to the Novi Sad Animal Protection Association (SPANS), Dona was struck by one of four passing ambulances, which continued driving without stopping.
“People in the convoy rushed her to the nearest veterinary clinic, but, as they wrote, it was too late,” the association shared in a Facebook post, alongside what is likely the last photo of Dona—cradled in a student’s arms at the protest.
The Clinical Center of Vojvodina confirmed that the vehicle belonged to them, stating that the police and prosecutor’s office are taking all necessary measures regarding the incident.
Meanwhile, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, speaking at a rally in Jagodina, dismissed the news, saying, “And then they claimed a dog was run over somewhere—there’s nothing they haven’t made up.”
Dona’s passing sparked an outpouring of grief on social media, including an illustration by Sarajevo architect and artist Midhat Kapetanović. The artwork depicts a smiling Dona floating on a cloud, watching from above.
“If a cloud follows you tomorrow, don’t be afraid,” he wrote in the caption.
Symbolically, the memorial gathering for Dona in Novi Sad was set to last precisely 12 hours and eight minutes.