Europski parlament glasa za zabranu sajma konja
Europski parlament uskoro glasa za zabranu sajma konja jer se tamo vrlo loše postupa s konjima. “Sajmovi konja možda izgledaju kao veselo druženje, ali su grozni za životinje,” rekla je europarlamentarka Anja Hazekamp. Njezin prijedlog da se konji više ne drže u stajama na sajmovima dio je novijih planova EU u službi poboljšanja uvjeta konja.
Photo: Eyes on Animals
“Vrlo je dirljivo vidjeti kako ondje konji stoje. Jedva imaju mjesta za kretanje, često stoje cijeli dan bez hrane i pića, okruženi bukom i ljudima”, kaže Hazekamp. “Ophođenje s konjima je vrlo grubo. Osobito ukrcaj u konjske furgone može biti vrlo grub. Isto tako organizacije za životinje često prijavljuju bolesne konje koji su prisutni na sajmu, kao i opasnost od zaraze.”
Iako u Nizozemskoj od 2011.postoji protokol za dobrobit životinja koji vrijedi za sajmove konja, čini se da nije doveo do poboljšanja situacije. U drugim europskim zemljama, primjerice u Poljskoj, situacija je neodrživa. Organizacije za životinje prijavljuju nedostatak hrane i vode, dug prijevoz i zlostavljanje konja.
“Ovakve situacije nisu primjerene vremenu. Treba doći kraj sajmovima konja”, smatra Hazekamp. “Dok ne dođe do europske zabrane, potrebna je veća kontrola dobrobiti životinja pomoću kamera i obaveznog nadzora”, smatra Stranka za životinje.
Sljedeći mjesec slijedi rasprava poljoprivredne komisije Europskog parlamenta o prijedlozima Stranke za životinje. Kompletan Europski parlament glasa početkom 2017. o paketu mjera koji se tiče poboljšanja uvjeta konja.
The European Parliament will shortly vote on the banning of horse fairs, because horses are ill treated at them. “Horse fairs might look like friendly fairs, but they are terrible for animals,” says MEP Anja Hazekamp. Her proposal to no longer stable horses at fairs, is part of several EU plans to improve the welfare of horse-like animals.
Photo: Eyes on Animals
“It is harrowing to see how the horses are treated. They have hardly any room to move, are often left at the fair without food or drink all day long, and are surrounded by noise and a madding crowd,” according to Hazekamp. “The horses are badly treated. Especially when they are loaded into the horse trailers. Animal organisations also frequently report sick horses, which are still on the market despite of their sickness, with the accompanying danger of contagion.”
Although a protocol for horse fairs has applied in the Netherlands since 2011, it’s evident that this hardly led to improvements. In other European countries too, like in Poland, the situation is untenable. Animal organisations report lack of food and water, long transport hours and ill-treatment of horses.
“Situations like these should belong to the past. Horse fairs should be banned,” according to Hazekamp. “Until a European ban will come into force, animal welfare should be better monitored with the help of mandatory camera surveillance,” according to the Party for the Animals.
Next month, the European Parliament’s Commission of Agriculture will consider the Party for the Animals’ proposal. Early 2017, the full European Parliament will vote on the package of measures to improve the welfare of horse-like animals.