Save Romania's Zoo Animals from Slaughter

*** URGENT! PLEASE CIRCULATE THIS PETITION FAR & WIDE ***

Captive animals in Romania's 35 or more zoos are destined to be killed as the country's deplorable zoos do not meet EU standards. This petition calls for the European Parliament to help!!

Zoo animals facing slaughter ...thanks to the EU

Pacing the perimeter of his small enclosure for hours on end, the bedraggled tiger barely notices the taunts of zoo visitors trying to make him snarl. Nearby a lion peers out of a dark, dank hut in his pen to catch a brief glimpse of the winter sun that reaches his enclosure for a few short hours every day. And, in cages measuring 5ft by 14ft, three bears lumber aimlessly in seemingly endless circles around putrid pools of their own excrement.

And the only escape for these animals from their miserable existence - and for hundreds of others in the 35 other zoos scattered across Romania - will be in death.

For, as the people of Romania look forward to a brighter future as the newest citizens of the EU, many of the country's decrepit zoos - which do not come up to EU animal welfare standards - face closure.  This will leave those animals who cannot be moved - and that could be hundreds - facing slaughter.

Indeed, it has already started. When the Timisoara zoo in western Romania closed, the local newspaper reported how birds were cooked and fed to the poor, a lion was poisoned and a bear was shot. And a rundown zoo in the northern district of Buhusi has just shut, leaving welfare groups desperately seeking a rescue plan for its big cats, bears and dingoes. Some of them are crippled by malnourishment and abuse.

Full story:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=426919&in_page_id=1766&ito=1490

OTHER NEWS:

MEP APPEALS FOR EU CASH TO SAVE ZOO ANIMALS:
http://www.carolinelucasmep.org.uk/news/Zoos_190107.htm

Lions to Die in Sub-Standard Romanian Zoos:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/07/30/wzoo130.xml

Romanian Zoos- Born Free Foundation:
http://www.bornfree.org.uk/give/romanian-zoos/

The Lion's Roar- Buhusi Zoo campaign site:
http://www.thelionsroar.us/ 

*** URGENT! PLEASE CIRCULATE THIS PETITION FAR & WIDE ***

Captive animals in Romania's 35 or more zoos are destined to be killed as the country's deplorable zoos do not meet EU standards. This petition calls for the European Parliament to help!!

Zoo animals facing slaughter ...thanks to the EU

Pacing the perimeter of his small enclosure for hours on end, the bedraggled tiger barely notices the taunts of zoo visitors trying to make him snarl. Nearby a lion peers out of a dark, dank hut in his pen to catch a brief glimpse of the winter sun that reaches his enclosure for a few short hours every day. And, in cages measuring 5ft by 14ft, three bears lumber aimlessly in seemingly endless circles around putrid pools of their own excrement.

And the only escape for these animals from their miserable existence - and for hundreds of others in the 35 other zoos scattered across Romania - will be in death.

For, as the people of Romania look forward to a brighter future as the newest citizens of the EU, many of the country's decrepit zoos - which do not come up to EU animal welfare standards - face closure.  This will leave those animals who cannot be moved - and that could be hundreds - facing slaughter.

Indeed, it has already started. When the Timisoara zoo in western Romania closed, the local newspaper reported how birds were cooked and fed to the poor, a lion was poisoned and a bear was shot. And a rundown zoo in the northern district of Buhusi has just shut, leaving welfare groups desperately seeking a rescue plan for its big cats, bears and dingoes. Some of them are crippled by malnourishment and abuse.

Full story:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=426919&in_page_id=1766&ito=1490

OTHER NEWS:

MEP APPEALS FOR EU CASH TO SAVE ZOO ANIMALS:
http://www.carolinelucasmep.org.uk/news/Zoos_190107.htm

Lions to Die in Sub-Standard Romanian Zoos:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/07/30/wzoo130.xml

Romanian Zoos- Born Free Foundation:
http://www.bornfree.org.uk/give/romanian-zoos/

The Lion's Roar- Buhusi Zoo campaign site:
http://www.thelionsroar.us/ 

To: Hans-Gert Pöttering- President of the European Parliament and EU's Commissioner for Enlargement, Olli Rehn:
We the undersigned urge the European Parliament to help the zoo animals in Romania.

While we applaud the EU for having proper animal welfare guidelines, our plea is to give mercy and compassion to the animals that are now facing slaughter due to Romania's deplorable zoo conditions that are unable to meet EU's standards. Surely for a wealthy union of (supposedly) civilized nations, funds can be allocated to rescue these poor animals.

We urge the EU to build a facility for those unable to be rehomed. Where animals that have long been neglected and mistreated, can eventually heal and learn to live again. A shelter staffed with dedicated and experienced professionals, meeting the guidelines of the EU's animal welfare standards. A refuge that can even become a symbol of the new Romania, showing that there is hope for all living things, great and small.

This is no longer a problem for Romania alone. When you allowed her to become a member of the European Union without stipulations, Romania's problems become the EU's duty to fix as well. From her animal welfare standards (or lack thereof) to her horrific orphanages, the union must do everything in its power to help save the lives of the innocent and helpless victims of Romania.

We only hope that in the future, candidate countries for EU membership will have to meet standards setforth by the union PRIOR to being accepted. Countries like Serbia, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina have no regard for animal welfare. They also have decrepit zoos and conduct state-run-massacres of strays instead of implementing TNR (trap/neuter/release) and other humane programs. There must be stipulations prior to EU acceptance to break this vicious cycle of further victimizing the innocent.

"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." -Mahatma Ghandi. 

We only speak for the poor creatures that do not have a voice. These animals did nothing wrong but to be born. They have been subjected to abuse and neglect all their lives. They deserve to thrive and live in peace; not punished for the cruelty and ignorance of their captors. PLEASE HELP THEM!!!

Sincerely, on behalf of the animals,
The undersigned