03/28/13 Roses Fashion Outlet
Veterinary Office Krapinsko-zagorska County
Veterinary Inspection
Trg Matije Gupca 20
49240 Donja Stubica
March 28, 2013
Dear Sirs,
We would like to use this occasion to report Roses Fashion Outlet (Vrankovec 1, 49223 Sv Kriz Zacretje) for violating Article 4, paragraph 2, item 6 of the Animal Protection Act.
Even though giving live animals as prizes is prohibited by the Act, Roses Fashion Outlet, even after being given a warning (the purpose of which was not to repeat such a matter), seems to have no understanding and no respect for the Animal Protection Act.
In the response written to the warning that was sent by our organization, Suzana Kapustic Gotal from Roses Designer Outlet marketing states: "We organized a creative competition for the most beautiful Easter egg and a game (more like a sports competition) for the children, not a raffle." We consider that calling something a different name does not change the fact that the prize was an animal, which is prohibited by the Animal Protection Act.
Furthermore, in the response it she also says: "What is more, parents brought their children here with the desire to see their child win the rabbit and to return to their homes with a new pet... The parents were made aware of where the rabbits were purchased from and what their obligations are, the same way as if they purchased them themselves from the Pet Centre. (They received a piece of paper with instructions on how to treat the rabbit and what they are allowed to eat. Also they received a large bag of rabbit food.) This means that the only difference is that the families received a new member as a prize of organized competition in Roses, and they didn’t purchase them themselves."
Animals were prizes for a child, so this cannot be the same as purchasing an animal because the sale of animals to an underage person is also prohibited by the Act. Furthermore, from the quote that parents received a piece of paper containing instructions "of how to treat the rabbit" it is unclear what kind of education parents could have received with regards to the pet, considering the fact that the Pet Centre does not sell rabbits, only hares. It is obvious that the organizers of the competition, who announced on the Roses Fashion Outlet Centre web page that the winner of the competition will be given "a real little lively bunny rabbit," do not differentiate between rabbits and hares, let alone are they capable of educating the parents about the correct and responsible care for animals that were only used as bait for potential buyers in a pre-Easter promotion.
So, despite the warning whose purpose was educational, aiming to stop future Act violation and exploitation of animals, Roses Fashion Outlet in their response justifies their own illegal behavior, shows their clear misunderstanding of the problem, which is why we have reason to doubt that they will repeat this as soon as they get an opportunity.
This is why we are asking you, in accordance with your authority, to take statutory measures, i.e. sanction Roses Fashion Outlet with the foreseen penalty due to violating Article 4, paragraph 2, item 6 of the Animal Protection Act, and inform us about this in writing.
Kind regards,
Lidija Eterovic
Enclosed is the following:
- Screen shot of the advert for the competition on Roses Fashion Outlet web page
- E-mail copy (our warning and the response from Roses Fashion Outlet)
