Letter from the EP Intergroup (2005) European Parliamentary Intergroup on the Welfare and Conservation of Animals President: Paulo Casaca MEP Vice-Presidents: Herbert Bosch MEP, Niels Busk MEP, Mojca Drcar Murko MEP, David Hammerstein MEP, Elisabeth Jeggle MEP, Caroline Lucas MEP, Albert Jan Maat MEP, Cristiana Muscardini MEP, Neil Parish MEP, Dagmar Roth-Behrendt MEP, Martine Roure MEP, Carl Schlyter MEP, Janusz Wojciechowski MEP Honorary Secretary: Robert J. E. Evans MEP H. E. Simeon Saxe-Coburg Gotha Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria Brussels, 2 May 2005 Ref. PC/ac/008/2005 Better conditions for companion animals in Bulgaria Dear Prime Minister, Iwould like to express you my warmest congratulations for your country's signature of the Treaty of Accession, last week in Luxembourg. This will definitively pave the way for the ratification procedures that will formalise your membership of the Union on 1 January 2007. In view of this approaching EU-accession I am writting to you on behalf of the European Parliament Intergroup on the Welfare and Conservation of Animals with the request to take imediate initiatives for the release of measures and instruments that would allow solving the desperate situation of pet animals in Bulgaria. The Bulgarian animal welfare organization 'Animal Programs Foundation' has informed us about numerous ill-treatments against pet animals which are possible thanks to the lack of an efficient legislation in this field. According to this organization there exists no system for registration and identification of pets, a fact that facilitates their ill-treatments and abandonment. The existing shelters are badly organised and often apply just a simple 'catch and kill policy' in order to solve the overcrowding of their premises. The lack of sterilisation campaigns fosters the uncontrolled increase of stray animals which have to live in complete neglect. Apparently, no rules exist also for purchasing pet animals. Thus, everibody can buy them, frequently without realizing the responsibility of such an acquisition. We understand that your country is facing considerable economic and social challenges for the next future and that consequently the protection of animals cannot be among your priorities. Nevertheless, the release of some efficient measures and instruments to deal with companion animals could make a significant contribution to solve or at least decrease the problems of neglected pet animals. These measures must not necessarily involve considerable financial costs for local authorities if they carried out in a sensible way. Existing animal welfare organizations in your country can assist you and will certainly be able to provide you the necessary know-how for putting in place new measures and instruments to improve the welfare of pet animals. Hoping that you will take our request in to account and that you write us about your projects to solve these problems I send you my best regards. Yours sincerely Paulo Casaca MEP |