03/02/02 Suffocation of Pigs
Animal Friends requests an investigation of a case of suffocation of 22 pigs at Slatina
According to a section in Croatian daily newspapers Vecernji list called "Vecernjak finds out about...", we have found out that near Slatina, around 1 P.M. on February 25, a truck driver of "Sljeme" company caused an overturning of his truck on the return from Djakovo putting pigs in the truck in life danger.
According to the same article, 22 pigs perished because policemen didn't allow rescuing of the pigs and they suffocated under the truck. The article mentions a statement of Mr. Tomislav Peric, a veterinarian inspector, where he explains that the policeman at the scene refused to stop the traffic and save pigs before making a report and that was the reason why 22 pigs suffocated.
We ask the Police Department of Virovitica-Podravina county to investigate the case and, if the facts from the article are true, to conduct proceedings against the policemen responsible for the death of pigs according to the Animal Welfare Act of the Republic of Croatia.
It is almost impossible to imagine a traffic accident in which people would be neglected and in which a policeman would unfeelingly make a "report" while hearing the screams of the injured coming from the car. It is impossible to understand the cruelty of a police officer who let 22 pigs suffocate because he was writing a report, even though they were squealing and suffering.
We demand to open proceedings against responsible people of the Police department because they let the policeman to allow that tragedy on the scene of the accident. In the case of a minor traffic accident, it is a regular procedure to call an ambulance and to stop the traffic, but when pigs die in great pain, the policeman "calmly does his job." This treatment of animals is frightening, to say the least.
Although those animals would end up being slaughtered and in someone's plate, it doesn't mean that we can and may treat them as mere objects for human usage. Those animals are bred, transported and killed because of meat industry, but if they are being deprived of their freedom and choice, it doesn't mean that they don't have feelings.
The level of treatment of animals shows the level of our culture. Our society still slaughters and eats animals because they find it necessary, no matter how senseless it is, but the suffering of the crushed animals due to a traffic accident is certainly unnecessary, and it can and should be avoided.
Animal Friends promotes vegetarianism and ethical relationship towards animals, but not until our police respects and enforces the Animal Welfare Act, can our country escape from a senseless Balkan. Not only that the policeman did not respect the Animal Welfare Act , but he also simply neglected any feelings of humanity and compassion toward completely innocent and suffering animals.
