12/29/22 Chains do not Belong on Dogs, and Tigers do not Belong in Backyards!
Animal Friends Croatia place stirring billboards in Zagreb, Osijek, Rijeka, and Split
- The objective is to mark the year 2023 by working on amendments to the Animal Protection Act
While summing up the accomplishments achieved so far this year, even at its very end, Animal Friends Croatia show no sign of slowing down in their intense animal welfare lobbying! The rather stirring visuals of the billboards displayed at the busiest locations in Zagreb, Osijek, Rijeka and Split, send powerful messages about where animals belong. Animal Friends Croatia put forward their proposals for amendments to the Animal Protection Act with messages such as: “Chains do not belong on dogs. Dog chaining must be banned; Monkeys do not belong in flats. Exotic animals belong to exotic forests; Tigers do not belong in backyards. Wild animals belong in the wild,”
“It is imperative to swiftly improve animal welfare legislation in Croatia since animals do not have time to wait for humans’ ethics to mature. Thanks to the group’s last year’s initiative and proposals presented at www.boljizakon.net, the Croatian Ministry of Agriculture set up a committee to work on the essential new Animal Protection Act,” state Animal Friends Croatia.
They explain that active work on Animal Protection Act amendments should start immediately in early 2023. Among other, they propose a total ban on dog chaining, use of any animals for circus performances and keeping tigers in captivity by private persons, while advocating the so-called Positive List of animals that can be kept as pets, as well as numerous other amendments that they hope to see enter into force in the first quarter of 2024 at the latest.
Animal Friends Croatia point out that chaining dogs is a crime committed on man’s best friend – chains can cut into their necks, while the inability to move may cause them to become aggressive and suffer deeply psychologically. “Dogs are extremely social creatures; they seek closeness with humans, and they are happiest when they are next to their people. The holiday season is particularly atrocious for them as they freeze while chained in yards, lonely, sad, and constantly terrified by firecrackers and other pyrotechnics. In late December, it is a common occurrence for dogs to get scared by use of pyrotechnics, run away, jump the fence, suffer heart attack, or get run over by cars. Very often, the night of the biggest celebrations for humans is the last night in the life of many cats, dogs, and birds,” Animal Friends Croatia warn.
They point out that keeping exotic animals in captivity ends tragically for many species who have complex needs, making it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to secure long-term specialised care, nutrition, and accommodation necessary for their well-being. A Positive List of animals that can be kept as pets would also efficiently prevent the spread of viruses and zoonoses from animals to humans, both those who have been stolen from the wild and those that have been bred in captivity.