04/15/24 Vote for Parties that Will Improve Animal Protection!
Ahead of the parliamentary elections, Animal Friends Croatia appeals to political parties to advocate for animal protection
- Ban on chaining and tethering dogs, establishment of an animal protection inspection, cessation of bottom trawling…
Ahead of the parliamentary elections on April 17, 2024, the Animal Friends organization addressed the political parties participating in the election race with an appeal to emphasize animal protection in their actions. They urged them to forward the call to their candidates to get involved in significant initiatives to improve the position of animals. As an organization actively advocating for the promotion of animal welfare and rights and the creation of a society where animals are protected from all forms of abuse and neglect, Animal Friends particularly emphasizes the importance of legislative and institutional changes that would strengthen the position of animals and ensure their protection.
"Improving the Animal Protection Act, preventive measures for socialization and castration in the Regulation on Dangerous Dogs, establishment of the Animal Protection Sector within the Ministry of Agriculture and the establishment of an animal protection inspection, banning the sale and trade of fur, regulation of exotic animal ownership, and the introduction of a Positive List, as well as a complete ban on chaining dogs, are just some of the goals that we believe parties and their candidates should advocate for during their mandates," emphasize Animal Friends.
Other areas of animal protection that they note should be the focus of future members of parliament are: banning the keeping of all animals in circuses; banning bottom trawling throughout the Adriatic Sea; banning the keeping of wild animals in captivity by private individuals; introducing a vegan option in public institutions such as kindergartens, schools, and student restaurants; promoting low-carbon plant-based products and meals; regulating and taxing the breeding and trade of animals; banning tethering; including dog fighting in the Penal Code, etc. Candidates were provided with brief arguments for the stated goals.
"Supporting animal protection and rights not only promotes ethical treatment of animals but also contributes to a better society for all of us. Animal welfare is extremely important to the citizens of Croatia, and as many as 70% of them have pets. Their concern for animals has been evident many times in recent years, especially with large turnouts for campaigns and petitions related to animal welfare," remind Animal Friends.
They state that this is evidenced by the success of several European citizens' initiatives, which have collected a truly large number of support signatures, including signatures from Croatian citizens. Six out of ten successful European citizens' initiatives have been about animals. Millions of citizens have raised their voices and called on the European Union to better protect sentient beings - from farm animals and animals used in testing to wild and domestic animals, and many others. Croatia has managed to exceed the required threshold for all successful initiatives.
"Improved animal welfare contributes to the creation of a more compassionate society, which promotes values of empathy and respect for all beings. Establishing stricter laws and supervision over animal protection not only protects citizens' safety by reducing incidents of abuse and violence towards animals, but also towards humans. Promoting more sustainable practices, such as a low-carbon plant-based diet, contributes to environmental protection and reducing the ecological footprint, which is in line with global sustainable development goals," explains Animal Friends.
They point out that Croatian politicians and political parties should be aware of how important it is to support these goals: "By advocating for positive changes for animals, they will demonstrate their commitment to animal protection and the promotion of ethical and sustainable values in our society, which voters will appreciate."
Animal protection and rights are part of the program of every serious political party, so it is common worldwide for political parties to advocate for animal rights. Political parties in the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Denmark, Sweden, Canada, Australia, the United States, and elsewhere have been working for years to promote animal rights.
Animal Friends calls on Croatian voters to vote for those parties in the upcoming elections that plan to increase the standard of animal protection in Croatia.
![Chained dog [ 226.89 Kb ]](/data/image_3_10964.jpg "Chained dog [ 226.89 Kb ]")
