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Short description of the institution and main activities
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Established in 1933, the Croatian Veterinary Institute, headquartered in Zagreb, is a scientific, diagnostic, and analytical institution with a long and rich tradition. Through its comprehensive activities, the Institute makes a significant contribution to veterinary practice in the Republic of Croatia. Under the Veterinary Act, the Institute is tasked with monitoring and studying the epizootiological status of infectious and other animal diseases, as well as refining methods for their control. The Institute's regional branches—the Veterinary Institutes in Križevci, Rijeka, Split, and Vinkovci, alongside the Poultry Center in Zagreb—also work on detecting, monitoring, and studying the occurrence and prevalence of infectious and other diseases, while proposing the most effective methods for their prevention and control. The two core pillars of the Institute's activities are veterinary public health and the laboratory and field diagnostics of animal diseases. The production of safe and nutritionally valuable food is of strategic interest to the Republic of Croatia, and the Institute is recognized as a key scientific and professional body within relevant national programs. The presence of pesticide residues, mycotoxins, heavy metals, veterinary drug residues, and other contaminants in animal feed and food of animal origin is an ongoing reality, making the monitoring of contamination levels essential to protect consumer health. Through laboratory and field diagnostics, continuous surveillance is conducted for infectious and parasitic diseases listed by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), as well as those specified by the national Order on measures for animal protection against infectious and parasitic diseases and their funding. The Institute places particular emphasis on aligning its laboratory methods with the standards prescribed by international bodies (WOAH, WHO, FAO, AOAC). It also regularly participates in inter-laboratory proficiency testing for major animal diseases, food and feed analysis, and the quality control of veterinary medical products. Reflecting its commitment to adopting internationally recognized standards, the Croatian Veterinary Institute has accredited more than 250 methods under the HRN EN ISO/IEC 17025:2017 standard. Furthermore, through extensive facility renovations and the acquisition of new analytical equipment, the Institute has established modern laboratory capabilities at its Zagreb headquarters, as validated by its official accreditation. As a leading scientific, research, and diagnostic institution dedicated to veterinary public health in the Republic of Croatia, its headquarters' laboratories focus on the diagnostic testing of infectious and parasitic animal diseases, wildlife and aquatic health monitoring, and the rigorous chemical and microbiological analysis of food and feed to safeguard both animal welfare and public health. |
