01/23/23 For the Ban on Keeping Dogs in Chains and Tigers in Yards!
Animal Friends Croatia sent a brochure to parliamentary representatives with suggestions for law amendments
- It is necessary to start the work on improving the Animal Protection Act as soon as possible
Animal Friends Croatia sent to all parliamentary representatives a brochure with which they inform them of suggestions for the Animal Protection Law amendments, that were presented on www.boljizakon.net. Ministry of Agriculture established a commission that will have to work on the vital new Animal Protection Act already from the beginning of 2023.
„We appreciate that the Ministry recognized the importance of improving the legal protection of animals in Croatia, and already first replies from the parliamentary representatives that we received show they are more than willing to support the progress. We expect that the absolutely necessary and better Law will be in effect within the first quarter of 2024”, Animal Friends Croatia states.
They have suggested a total ban on keeping dogs on a chain, all animal performances in circuses, and keeping tigers in captivity by private individuals, prescribing a so-called Positive List of Animals that may be kept as house pets, and other changes to the Animal Protection Act.
These suggestions Animal Friends Croatia graphically summarized on impressive jumbo posters that they placed on the busiest locations in Zagreb, Osijek, Rijeka, and Split. None remained indifferent to strong messages on the visuals: „Chain is not for a dog – Keeping of dogs on a chain must be banned.”; „Monkey is not for the apartment – Exotic animals are for exotic woods.”; „Tiger is not for a yard – Wild animals belong to the wilderness.”
Keeping dogs on a chain, Animals Friends Croatia point out, is a crime against the man’s best friend as dogs are very social beings, seeking the closeness of a human and are happy next to their people: „Very often we witness the cases that the chain is cut into the dog’s neck and, due to inability to move, the unfortunate animals suffer a great deal and may become aggressive”.
They also point out that keeping wild animals in captivity is tragic for most species as they have complex needs and it is extremely difficult and even impossible to secure their well-being and long-lasting specialized care, diet, and accommodation. They suggest the implementation of the Positive List, which already functions well in several countries, and Italy even prescribed a decision for a total ban on the import and trade of wild and exotic animals. The Positive List enables better control of animal trade and is preventive – efficiently preventing the spreading of viruses and zoonosis from animals to people.
„Taking into consideration more than ten thousand abandoned animals in Croatia per year, showing great irresponsibility of numerous individuals, concrete law changes are required and also the preventive ones, primarily castration that is proven as an efficient and necessary method of cats’ and dogs’ population control”, Animal Friends Croatia conclude.
The contents of the booklet sent to parliamentary representatives may be seen HERE.
