This BIG VICTORY for Serbian animals is a perfect way to
start the new year!
FUR FREE ALLIANCE: SERBIA, 1 JANUARY 2019 – Animal advocates
around the globe rejoice as Serbia starts off the new year by effectively
banning fur farms after a 10-year phase-out. The enforcement of the ban is
the successful result of a decade-long decisive and persistent struggle by
citizens, experts and animal rights activist during which fur industry lobby
groups consistently put pressure to reverse the ban.
The adoption of the 2009 Animal Welfare Act, that outlawed
fur farming in Serbia including a 10-year transitional period, was hailed by
animal protection organisations worldwide. However, ever since the ban has been
continuously threatened by fur trade interest groups. Desperately seeking to
reverse the upcoming fur farming ban, fur farmers upped their lobbying of the
Serbian government in 2018, resulting in a debate on the cancelation of the ban
in a public session last June.
Animal advocate groups worldwide have persistently urged the
Serbian government to stay committed to the 2009 Act and make an end to the
widely-condemned practice of fur farming once and for all. To counter the
campaign of misinformation spread by fur trade lobbyist in Serbia, the Fur Free
Alliance worked closely together with Serbian member organisation Freedom for
Animals to expose the scientific facts on fur production and stress the need
for a national ban.
To generate political and media interest and push back
against proposed law changes, last June the Make Fur History exhibition was
organised in Belgrade by Freedom for Animals, joining international experts,
decision makers and journalists to address the negative impact of fur farming.
Ultimately, Serbia’s government righteously listened to the
concerned public and animal rights groups and made an end to the unnecessary
and cruel practice of fur production, sparing thousands of animals unimaginable
suffering on Serbian fur farms.
Snezana Milovanovic, director of the Serbian animal
protection organization Freedom for Animals, says:
For 15 years now, Freedom for Animals has advocated for a
fur-free Serbia by advancing and supporting legislation to abolish this brutal
exploitation of animals. With the enforcement of the 2009 Animal Welfare Act,
that makes it illegal to keep, reproduce, import, export and kill animals only
for the production of fur, a great victory is finally achieved. Not only is
this ban important for animals kept for fur production in Serbia, but also for
the whole South East European region, and it signifies a major step forward for
animal rights worldwide.
The ban in Serbia is in line with developments all across
Europe, where in the past decades 14 countries have voted for legislation
to end fur farming. In the past year alone, Norway, once world’s
largest fox pelt producer, Belgium and Luxembourg adopted legislation to end
fur farming. At this moment, fur farming bans are on the parliamentary agenda
in Poland, Ireland, Lithuania, Denmark and Estonia.
