08/16/24 They banned animal performances and fined the circus!
Commendable behaviour of municipal monitoring officers and inspection - finally someone is doing their job
- This city is a positive example of animal protection, already in 2009 they banned circuses with animals
The Animal Friends Croatia thanked the authorities in the City of Samobor for rejecting the recent request of the foreign circus Candy for performances with animals in the area of Samobor. The municipal officers of the City of Samobor carried out surveillance on the private area where Circus Candy was located and prohibited the use of animals in performances based on the decision of the City of Samobor from 2009, which prohibited the performance of circus performances with animal acts. On the day of the show, the circus therefore had to remove the animals from the circus area and from the area of Samobor!
In addition to the fact that animals were not used in circus performances in Samobor, the municipal officer also contacted the police, which issued a permit for public gatherings, and a veterinary inspection, from which he learned that the circus had not received approval for animal performances. He fined the circus a fine of €1,300.00 and ordered the removal of the posters that the circus had placed on public lighting poles despite the City of Samobor refusing to issue them a permit. He also announced a new fine for not taking down the posters completely.
"In the sea of bad news and inaction by the competent services, we were really happy that finally someone is doing their job and protecting animals instead of those who make money from their suffering! Compliments go to the Samobor municipal officers and veterinary inspection for the consistent implementation of the city's decision from 2009, the implementation of municipal regulations, as well as the implementation of the Animal Protection Act. Samobor stands as a positive example to other cities and municipalities by implementing laws and by application of ethical principles in the protection of animals", pointed out Snježana Klopotan Kačavenda, project coordinator at Animal Friends Croatia.
Precisely on the initiative of Animal Friends Croatia, the City of Samobor became the 32nd Croatian city in December 2009 to ban circus performances involving animals. The Samobor city authorities at the time justified such a decision by wanting Samobor to respect the standards of civilization that are fostered in the European Union, but also in a good part of Croatia. Otherwise, cities and municipalities can independently pass a ban on the performance of circuses with animals on their territory, regardless of national legislation.
Back in 2006, Croatia banned the performances of wild animals in circuses. The Animal Protection Act of 2017 prohibits the keeping of animals in circuses and their use in circus performances, with the meaningless exception of domestic animals that can be kept and used "for the purpose of displaying a type of behaviour that is identical to the behaviour of animals in the natural environment".
Animal Friends Croatia has been warning for years that such a provision is unenforceable because it would mean that domestic animals can be kept in the circus so that they stand, walk or run, as they would normally do, but they must not be used to perform tricks. Going around the stage by putting the horse on its hind legs, climbing on elevated stands, jumping over obstacles and similar tricks in the Candy circus performances are not natural behaviours, but by waving or raising the whip, as a means of training, the animals are forced to perform pre-trained movements because the whip causes fear of punishments if they don't perform the learned trick.
Additionally, in a letter to the State Inspectorate, Animal Friends Croatia pointed out earlier that camels cannot be domestic animals in Croatia because, in accordance with the definition of domestic animals in the Animal Protection Act, they are neither tamed nor domesticated, nor are they used for food, as nor for other economic or production purposes: "Camels are wild animals in Croatia, which are prohibited by law in circuses, so their performances in Candy circus performances must also be prohibited!"
Animal Friends Croatia requested that the veterinary inspection for both the Candy Circus and similar future circuses prohibit the holding of performances in which non-domestic animals are used and are forced to perform untypical and unnatural actions with whips. On www.boljizakon.net, they presented a proposal to amend the Animal Protection Act to completely prohibit the keeping and use of animals in circuses.
The Association calls on local communities to follow the example of Samobor and not allow circuses with animals. They state that animals are not entertainers and it is shameful that in the 21st century, they are still being exploited to attract consumers and make a profit. There are numerous animal-free circuses and other types of entertainment without the exploitation of animals.
![Circus Candy - horse - october 2023 [ 252.46 Kb ]](/data/image_3_16408.jpg "Circus Candy - horse - october 2023 [ 252.46 Kb ]")
