*** 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.
*** 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.
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
We signed the "Save Romania's Zoo Animals from Slaughter" petition!
# 3,052:
12:04 am PDT, Oct 17,Shauna McKain-Storey, Oregon
I feel sympathy for the people of Romania & Eastern Europe, and I don't value animals over humans, but animals also aren't mere objects or property. They are beautiful living creatures; these animals in particular were taken from their habitats by people and so humanity should take responsibility for their care. How can anyone even suggest that they be cast aside so thoughtlessly! Also, I wonder what has happened to these animals in the many months since this petition began.
# 3,051:
1:04 pm PDT, Oct 16,Theresa Scheuerman, Canada
Save the animals. They have the right to live as anyone or any living thing does.
# 3,050:
12:37 pm PDT, Oct 13,Adina Leonte, Romania
Ppl are just so careless..they don't think that animals have a soul and are special in their own way..
# 3,049:
11:05 pm PDT, Oct 8,Animal Abuse Greece, Greece
# 3,048:
4:02 pm PDT, Oct 2,Muriel Josserand, France
# 3,047:
4:01 pm PDT, Oct 2,Marcelle Josserand, France
# 3,046:
5:37 pm PDT, Sep 29,Name not displayed, South Carolina
# 3,045:
2:39 pm PDT, Sep 29,Name not displayed, South Carolina
# 3,044:
5:19 pm PDT, Sep 27,Name not displayed, Texas
# 3,043:
8:46 am PDT, Sep 23,Emiliano Carluccio, Finland
# 3,042:
8:32 am PDT, Sep 23,Romi Stepovich, California
# 3,041:
4:13 pm PDT, Sep 22,Jill Carpenter, California
# 3,040:
11:20 pm PDT, Sep 20,Melinda Shepherd, California
I was saddened to hear of the possible fate of the few animals left at the Romanian zoo. I was also not surprised.
# 3,039:
5:13 pm PDT, Sep 20,Shannon Crossen, California
# 3,038:
10:47 am PDT, Sep 17,Frederic Vermeulen, Belgium
help them
# 3,037:
10:46 am PDT, Sep 17,Rosine Baert, Belgium
help them
# 3,036:
10:45 am PDT, Sep 17,Roos Baert, Belgium
help thees animals
# 3,035:
11:00 am PDT, Sep 14,Marc Marroyen, Belgium
# 3,034:
8:05 am PDT, Sep 14,Iryna Marroyen, Belgium
# 3,033:
6:40 am PDT, Sep 12,Abderrahim Akessan, Morocco
# 3,032:
11:52 am PDT, Sep 11,Michelle Mullin, Arizona
# 3,031:
10:21 am PDT, Sep 7,Carrie Mack, Michigan
# 3,030:
5:16 am PDT, Aug 30,Kunihiko Okina, Japan
# 3,029:
1:21 am PDT, Aug 28,Name not displayed, Germany
# 3,028:
8:20 am PDT, Aug 24,Joanna Van den houten, Netherlands
# 3,027:
12:43 am PDT, Aug 20,Deborah Hixson, Germany
The WORLD is watching YOU!
# 3,026:
7:20 am PDT, Aug 18,Name not displayed, United Kingdom
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# 3,025:
4:43 am PDT, Aug 18,Anne Sullivan, United Kingdom
As the EU decided to admit this country with its appallingly inadequate standards, then the EU should collectively face up to the moral and ethical implications and take responsibility for the welfare and protection of these poor creatures who have suffered so much.
# 3,024:
8:26 pm PDT, Aug 16,Matilda Simmons, Australia
i think its terible that there doing this i wish the people that are doing this should have never existed
# 3,023:
2:44 pm PDT, Aug 14,Sabine Hübler, Germany
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# 3,022:
4:31 pm PDT, Aug 10,Name not displayed, Japan
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# 3,021:
7:32 pm PDT, Aug 1,Haley Smith, North Carolina
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# 3,020:
8:52 am PDT, Jul 30,Dellianan Of the Sea, Colorado
Stop the Slaughter of these innocent animals please!
# 3,019:
4:19 am PDT, Jul 30,Estelle Desvernes, France
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# 3,018:
6:34 pm PDT, Jul 29,Michelle Abbott, Pennsylvania
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# 3,017:
3:27 am PDT, Jul 28,Raluca Iftime, Romania
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# 3,016:
9:54 am PDT, Jul 27,Austin Kendall, Florida
QUIT THIS NONSENSE SLAUGHTER!! GOD'S CREATIONS DESERVE TO LIVE PEACEFULLY!!
# 3,015:
12:22 am PDT, Jul 26,Stoica Simona, Romania
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# 3,014:
1:02 pm PDT, Jul 20,Greta Malkotzoglou, Greece
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# 3,013:
12:09 pm PDT, Jul 20,Maya Robinson, New York
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# 3,012:
2:52 pm PDT, Jul 19,Pascal Leblanc, France
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# 3,011:
4:27 pm PDT, Jul 14,MaryBeth Davis, Missouri
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# 3,010:
2:26 am PDT, Jun 18,Kristen Augustine, Florida
# 3,009:
8:45 am PDT, Jun 13,Brandle Berta, Italy
# 3,008:
1:34 pm PDT, Jun 12,Yolanda González Tesoro, Spain
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# 3,007:
11:06 pm PDT, Jun 8,Klaus Eiserbeck, Germany
# 3,006:
3:22 pm PDT, Jun 7,Sven Aerts, Belgium
Can't there be a sanctuary opened for such animals ?
