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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: 

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Density of fur animals in cages – animal welfare standards have not been addressed.
  5. 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.
  6. 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:

http://toplasapa.ba/2017/10/07/svjetski-ambasadori-parlamentu-bih-zabranite-farme-krzna-u-bosni-i-hercegovini/?lang=en

https://www.change.org/p/darko-babalj-parlament-ba-do-not-postpone-the-fur-farming-ban/nftexp/ex5/control/34495671?recruiter=34495671&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=share_for_starters_page&utm_content=ex5%3Acontrol

https://www.facebook.com/nekrznu/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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