05/28/24 Inspectors, Protect Horses, Not Abusers!
Animal Friends Croatia Reported the Upcoming horses' log-pulling competition in Lonjsko Polje to the State Inspectorate and Will Deliver Clear Messages to the State Inspectorate
On the occasion of the announcement of the first horses' log-pulling competition in Lonjsko Polje in Mužilovčica at a local family farm, Animal Friends Croatia submitted a report to the State Inspectorate requesting that no consent be given for this or any other horses' log-pulling competition. "Every horses' log-pulling competition is illegal because it forces horses to pull heavy logs through suffering and pain. The Animal Protection Act prohibits the use of animals in a manner that forces them into behavior causing pain, suffering, injury, or death. As the veterinary inspection ignores reports and allows these events to be held, we call on everyone to join us in a gathering in front of the State Inspectorate (Šubićeva 29, Zagreb) on Wednesday, May 29, 2024, at 11 a.m. With signs on banners, we will send clear messages and appeal to the veterinary inspection to stop allowing the mistreatment of horses!" announced Snježana Klopotan Kačavenda, project coordinator at Friends of Animals.
She points out the bizarre situation where the veterinary inspection, which is supposed to protect animals and enforce the law, regularly gives consent for horses' log-pulling competition across Croatia: "We believe this must change because such actions by the inspection, in addition to being illegal, cause public outrage, with more than 80 percent of citizens in public surveys expressing a desire to ban these competitions. Horses' log-pulling competitions cannot be considered sports events because they involve aggression and domination over horses. Horses are chained to logs weighing more than two tons and forced to pull them by yelling, painful pulling of the reins and chin chain, hand or whip waving, and sometimes even hitting. The extra effort horses put in to pull the overly heavy logs results from a conditioned response to the fear of being hit."
To force them to pull the heavy load, horses are regularly beaten as part of the "preparation" for these competitions. Last year, a video of such horse-beating near Karlovac went viral on social media, which is not an exception but a rule. Owners "train" horses by hitting them with wooden sticks in stables day after day, for years, aiming to produce obedient horses that will respond to the mere raising of a hand or a whip and automatically pull heavy logs in "competitions." The veterinary inspection issues consent for these events even though it cannot guarantee that no horse participating has been beaten in the stables beforehand, which is also a criminal offense.
"What we can see at these competitions is horses struggling, pulling the log until they can't move further, exerting all their strength to start again, even refusing to pull, showing strong agitation, rearing up on their hind legs... They have scars from beatings, and as we observed at the competition in Velika Gorica earlier this month, many horses showed fear of their owners, with some being whipped before the event started. Organizers try to give the torture of horses a sports competition legitimacy, but abuse cannot be called a competition. It's outrageous that the inspection continuously protects the abusers instead of the horses!" stated Animal Friends Croatia.
Even Lonjsko Polje Nature Park has firmly distanced itself from the event in Mužilovčica. In recent weeks, park employees have been receiving calls and messages from concerned citizens fearing cruelty towards horses at the competition. They state that Nature Park cannot ban the event on private property but hope that the relevant institutions will take appropriate measures to protect animal welfare. "Lonjsko Polje Nature Park is dedicated to nature protection and systematically cares for the welfare of all animals within its area – both wild and domestic. We are proud that a responsible attitude towards animals is shared by most of our visitors and local residents. We will continue to foster this respectful relationship with horses," said Domagoj Šejatović, director of Lonjsko Polje Nature Park.
The Animal Protection Act prohibits the use of horses for pulling logs from forests "except in difficult-to-access areas." It is logical that if the use of horses for pulling logs from forests is prohibited, they should not be used to pull logs on someone's field for entertainment. In both cases, horses are forced to pull overly heavy loads. Therefore, Animal Friends Croatia calls on the veterinary inspection to act according to the law, not to disgrace the reputation of Croatia and the veterinary profession, and to immediately stop any exploitation of horses for pulling logs by refusing to issue consents.
![horses pulling a log [ 194.47 Kb ]](/data/image_3_16579.jpg "horses pulling a log [ 194.47 Kb ]")
