Romania |
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Naturewatch announces funding for emerging animal welfare group APARNaturewatch is delighted to be able announce funding for APAR (the Association for the Protection of the Animals of Romania). This is a Bucharest-based organisation founded last year by a group of young vets who were concerned about the low priority that animal welfare has in their country. In February 2005, Naturewatch met two of their representatives – veterinarian Monica Minciu and Ministry of Justice lawyer Ionut Lesovici (who brings invaluable knowledge of the legal system and the workings of bureaucracy). We're impressed that their deep concern for animals is combined with a sense of realism - a combination that could make a major difference to the animals within their country. We are excited to be able to support them in this. Their aims are to educate people about the proper treatment of animals, and to provide veterinary care for both domestic and wild animals, working closely with the authorities and national and international NGOs. Monica freely admits that developing the organisation was a steep learning curve for all concerned: ‘At the beginning, we thought we could do much on many different levels. Gradually we became more and more aware of the fact that we can’t help everybody… If you try to heal the entire world from the beginning, you might not even do good to one single animal.’ 
Every town has a stray animal problem and dogs frequently become territorial and aggressive towards strangers. The problem is exacerbated by a cultural dislike of neutering animals, leading to unwanted litters of puppies and kittens. Although most farm animals live free-range, livestock markets (often no more than a clearing in a forest in rural areas), transport (sometimes just the boot of a car) and slaughterhouses have little if any hygiene or welfare provision. The animals (many of which are native animals captured in the wild) in zoos and circuses live miserable lives in cramped bare cages. There is much to be done. Much of the difficulty can be traced back to Romania’s complex political history. Monica explains the situation thus: ‘Mostly all their problems have their source in human minds. During the communist regime the Bolsheviks confiscated (nationalised) almost everything that people could get an income from (including animals). People started to hate the State that suppressed them and everything that belonged to it, including the animals. Their way of thinking towards the animals changed: from the animals they used to care for and who used to offer them milk, eggs, meat and working power to the animals that belonged to the suppressor. Now the animals live in heart-breaking conditions. The conditions of transportation are worse than you can imagine, and laws need to be enforced. The owners don’t know how to take proper care of their animals, basic education being absent.’ It’s this realism that suggests that APAR is likely to succeed where others have failed; we believe the animal welfare world will hear a lot more about APAR in years to come. We are currently helping them to set up a new office in Bucharest, which will have its official opening on World Animal Day (4 October), when Government officials, academics from the Veterinary Faculty and journalists will be invited to find out about the various projects being undertaken. |
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