Ambassadors show their support for fur farming ban
On the occasion of World Animal Day, Ambassadors around the world show their support for colleagues fighting for the promised fur farming ban to be implemented in Bosnia & Herzegovina.
So far 46 World Animal Day Ambassadors have asked for their names to be added as a signatory to a letter that’s been written by colleagues in Bosnia & Herzegovina and sent to the President and Members of the country’s Collegium of the House of Peoples (Parliament).
On behalf of the thousands of animals that continue to suffer as a result of fur-farming in Bosnia and Herzegovina, we sincerely hope the decision makers listen to the strong message that’s been sent to them and ban this cruel industry without further delay.
Copy of letter with list of signatories below
We, the Ambassadors of World Animal Day, have been informed that Bosnia and Herzegovina intends to postpone the promised fur-farming ban for another decade.
Allow us to inform you that the fur industry is one of the most cruel in regards of animals, environment and general morality.
By postponing the ban you are condoning:
- non-ethical animal breeding, which is in conflict to international Animal Welfare standards
- inhumane brutal killing or stunning of animals
- killing animals for fashion and wrath
- high level of pollution of Bosnia’s beautiful environment
- adding Bosnia to the Black list of cruelest and regressive countries in the world
- a great amount of public expenses in order to transpose to and implement EU regulations as they will be required in the next years from BiH as an EU accession state.
This is not an industry the Bosnian government should be seen to be supporting.
Are you aware what the fur industry has done to waterways in countries around the globe?
Are you aware of what residents in communities have to put up with where fur operations exist?
This letter identifies the concerns that need to be addressed through changes to the proposed regulations. Specifically there is a set of regulations to be implemented in accordance to EU acquis, and especially:
- Directive 2011/92/EU on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment
- Directive 2004/35/CE on environmental liability with regard to the prevention and remedying of environmental damage
- EU Strategy on biodiversity 2020
Bosnia and Herzegovina need to implement the above regulations, and horizontal ones, before allowing the unregulated agricultural sector to continue its work.
Please know that we will closely monitor how the situation develops and are ready to speak to relevant EU institutions about the issue if needed. We will keep them informed on how the Bosnian accession is developing in this specific area.
According to above mentioned, Bosnia and Herzegovina is about to fully take into consideration:
- Residential setbacks – such that the quality of living for residents and their property usage should not be affected (for example in western European countries the distance between fur farm and residental areas must be at least 800 meters). We have been informed that Bosnia doesn’t have such a regulation yet and will thus have to work on such before letting fur operations continue their activities.
- Water protection – by for example mandatory installation of leak free lagoons – again, such regulations for fur farms don’t exist in Bosnia and will need to be implemented as soon as possible.
- Disposal methods – for animal waste, carcasses and feed will need to be specifically defined and an approved facility will be needed and not left to the operators discretion. This means that national regulation will also be needed.
- Density of fur animals in cages – animal welfare standards have not been addressed.
- Environmental cleanup responsibility (polluter pays principle) – has not been addressed and operators will have to be held accountable through the posting of a substantial bond prior to setting up an operation.
- Regulations and rules – should be developed with legal clarity.
We think you are about to learn more about fur farm operations through informed meetings, researched articles and talks with people who have been exposed to fur farming operations.
We urge you to undertake in depth research on the following matters before you vote for an environmentally catastrophic industry:
- Odours and insects
- Animal carcasses
- Water quality and the environment
- Environmental impact on arable land
- Density of fur animals
- Property values
- Tourism
- Proposed fur regulations
- Municipal governments
- How fur operation contributes to the local economy
Fur operations are a lucrative business for the fur operators and their families. The province benefits from being able to report on significant export amount, but after that, what do they contribute to the local economy? Like any other citizen they pay property taxes; like any other new businesses, construction creates temporary jobs; they hire mostly unskilled help, but not much – one reason fur operations are so profitable is the low workforce numbers.
Every banknote that goes to a fur operator is a EUR or BAM unavailable to traditional farmers practicing traditional agriculture. Using taxpayers money in this manner seems to be inappropriate.
Just why are the fur operators pressing your Parliament to postpone the ban? It is because of their expansion. The reason they are expanding to BiH is because they have saturated the already used counties with fur farms and their pollution is at catastrophic levels. They are not insured and not culpable to clean up their mess and pollution like Mining and Forestry are. The pollution will happen here unless your Municipal government puts in place very strict enforceable by-laws, which will also have to be implemented under the EU accession process in the coming years.
The mink industry often benefits only a few people (the immediate owner/operators) while negatively impacting entire communities.
Please consider the impact, obligations and costs of fur farming in your country. You are a country that will soon become a member of the European Union. Fur farming is being banned in more and more member states of the European Union and for an accessing country it would be advisable to follow the European trends and not move backwards in history. Rather set an example like your neighbouring country, Croatia, who banned fur farming as one of the first countries in the European Union, setting a trend in European history.
Please be part of the good side of history: ban the breeding of animals for fur now.
Thank you!
Signed by:
NAME |
POSITION |
ORGANISATION |
COUNTRY REPRESENTED AS AMBASSADOR |
Ilhana Skrgic |
Director |
Warm Paw Animal Protection Society |
Bosnia and Herzegovina |
Anita Euschen |
Campaigns Co-ordinator |
Animal Friends Croatia |
Croatia |
Dr. Md Nurul Islam |
Veterinary Consultant |
Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research |
Bangladesh |
Tozie Zokufa |
Program Manager |
Humane Society International |
AFRICAN Continent |
Ryan O’Meara |
Director |
Total Pet Publishing |
United Kingdom |
Dr Richard K Sssuna |
Country Director |
All Creatures Animal Welfare Trust |
Malawi |
Anna Hashim-Cabrera |
Executive Director |
The Philippine Animal Welfare Society |
The Philippines |
Patricia Chan |
Director |
Spay Panama |
Panama |
Sarah Schmidt |
Project Co-ordinator and General Secretary |
The Big Fix Uganda |
Uganda |
Araceli Ferris |
Independent Advocate for Animals |
|
Mexico |
Morris Darbo |
Executive Director |
Liberia Animal Welfare & Conservation Society |
Liberia |
Emily Chow |
Co-Founder |
Help-Save-A-Pet-Fund Taiwan |
Taiwan |
Lily Wang |
Co-Founder |
Help-Save-A-Pet-Fund Taiwan |
Taiwan |
Ashima Sunil |
Managing Director |
People for Animals Ghaziabad |
India |
Sulaiman T Saeed |
President & Founder |
Kurdistan Organization for Animal Rights Protection |
Kurdistan, Iraq |
Amina Abaza |
President |
Society for the Protection of Animal Rights Egypt |
Egypt |
Tina Evangelista-Eppenstein |
Television Talk Show Host/Speaker/Writer/Advocate |
AnimalWelfareIssues.com |
USA |
Stella Stylianou |
Director |
Argos Animal Sanctuary |
Cyprus |
Jill Robinson MBE |
Founder & CEO |
Animals Asia Foundation |
ASIAN Continent |
Wilfred Opira |
Veterinary Officer |
The Big Fix Uganda |
Uganda |
Heather Armstrong |
Director |
The Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust |
The Gambia |
Khageswaar Sharma |
Director |
Himalayan Animal Rescue |
Nepal |
Karla Johanna Duarte Tercero |
President |
Asociación Hondureña Protectora de los Animales y su Ambiente |
Honduras |
Anouk De Winter |
Director |
Independent Advocate for Animals |
France |
Livingstone Masija |
Chief Executive Officer |
Arusha Society for the Protection of Animals |
Tanzania |
Hannele Luukkainen |
Chairperson |
Helsinki Humane Society |
Finland |
Connie Chiang |
Executive Director & Co-Founder |
Taiwan SPCA |
Taiwan |
Dr Chinny Krishna |
Chairman Emeritus |
Blue Cross of India |
India |
Dr Nanditha Krishna |
Board Member |
Blue Cross of India |
India |
Natalie Sorokopud |
Volunteer |
‘Together’ SPA |
Ukraine |
Diana Holder |
President |
Stop Animal Suffering YES! |
Costa Rica |
Ericka Cebeallos |
President |
CATCA Environmental and Wildlife Society |
Canada |
Sujoy Dutta |
Secretary |
People for Animals Siliguri |
India |
Ivan Kurajov |
President |
Društvo za zaštitu životinja – Ljubimci |
Serbia |
Carmen Milondendzchi |
Co-Founder |
Nature – A Heritage for the Future Association |
Romania |
Chiemeka Chiedozie |
Project Director |
Humane Global Concept |
Nigeria |
Ali A Juma |
Executive Director |
Zanzibar Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals |
Zanzibar, Tanzania |
Liliana Tellez Flor |
Founder & President |
ADDA Bolivia |
Bolivia |
Margaret Dean-Smith |
Committee Member |
Swaziland Animal Welfare Society |
Swaziland |
Alice Choi |
Executive Director |
Hong Kong Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals |
Hong Kong |
Otara Gunewardene |
Director |
Embark, Otara Foundation |
Sri Lanka |
Alicia Andrews |
Founder & President |
SOS Pappagalli |
Italy |
Milka Chuleva |
President |
Intimate with Nature Society |
Bulgaria |
Meem Abdul Rahman |
Independent Animal Advocate |
Meem’s Barkery |
Malaysia |
Darem Tabaa |
Director |
Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad |
Syria |
Eunice Robai |
Education & Awareness Officer |
Africa Network for Animal Welfare |
Kenya |
Media:
http://www.6yka.com/novost/ 130009/gradansko-i-politicko- pitanje-aktivisti-i- ljubitelji-zivotinja-sirom- bih-traze-zatvaranje-farmi- krzna-u-bih
Further information:
https://www.facebook.com/nekrznu/