07/22/13 Flying Primates - a Letter to Croatia Airlines
Public Relations
Mr. Davor Janusic, spokesman
Croatia Airlines
Bani 75b, Buzin
10010 Zagreb
July 22, 2013
Dear Mr Janusic,
We write to you on behalf of Animal Friends and the organizations BUAV (British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection) and ECEAE (European Coalition to End Animal Experiments) that the organization Animal Friends is a member of.
We are putting together a list of airline companies that refuse to carry live primates for industries that conduct experiments on animals.
Every year thousands of primates are transported all over the world in order for animals to suffer and in the end die in so called research laboratories. Transported monkeys originate from Mauritius, China, Vietnam, Cambodia and Barbados. Some are trapped in the wild, others are raised in captivity and kept in large facilities. Ripped from their family groups, packed into small wooden crates and travelling as cargo in airliners' bellies, where from the moment of boarding on long journeys all over the world they suffer stuffiness, noise, temperature changes and all the delays from the moment of boarding on long journeys all over the world.
The organization ECEAE has so far managed to achieve a successful arrangement with over 70 airline companies to stop such practice and refuse participation in this cruel business - such as, for example, British Airways, Lufthansa, Czech Airlines, Finnair, Alitalia, Iberia, Swiss International Airlines and Brussels Airlines, as well as airlines that fly outside of Europe such as Delta Airlines, Eva Air, Northwest Airlines, South African Airways, United Airlines and China Airlines.
The organization BUAV received statements of support from many airline companies as well as expressions of willingness to dissociate themselves from the cruelty and suffering that results from the international trade of primates:
"At Swiss World Cargo (cargo division of Swiss International Air Lines Ltd) we dissociate ourselves from the cruelty and suffering of the international trade in primates and we do not accept either monkeys (non-human primates) or live cats/dogs for research, for transport on any of our routes."
- Swiss International Airlines
"Indeed, we would want to be in the list of airlines in the fight against international trade in primates destined for the research industry."
- Malaysia Airlines
"We wish your campaign to be successful and that the list of airlines rejecting transportation of these animals grows more and more."
- TAP Portugal
"Please know that we do not support the transportation of non-human primates and we would be happy to be placed on the list that bans this practice."
- United Airlines
In accordance with the above, please let us know if Croatia Airlines transports primates for industries that conduct experiments on animals or intend to do so. If you do not transport them and do not support such practice, we will happily include you on the list of ethically suitable airliners which you can view here. As we had already written to you twice so far in connection to this topic, and you haven't replied, please do so in order for us to be able to report to the interested public and media about Croatia Airlines' policy regarding transport of primates.
We look forward to your reply.
Kind regards,
Luka Oman
President
