09/07/23 Help us Put an End to Animal Exploitation and Abuse!
Animal Friends Croatia celebrates 22 years of intense work
- Support commendable work on animal rights and welfare by becoming a member or donating to the association
This September, following the success of the 15th ZeGeVege Festival which received due recognition by way of a huge gathering of visitors, including the mayor of Zagreb, the Croatian Minister of Agriculture, the President of Croatia, and many other important guests, Animal Friends Croatia celebrate 22 years of activity. Known for their persistence and outspoken demands for better animal protection in Croatia, the association has been working tirelessly for over two decades on educating the public on responsible and ethical treatment of animals and the environment.
“We started in 2001 as a small group of enthusiasts who wanted to draw attention to the necessity of animal rights protection. Since then, we have managed to secure dog micro-chipping, a ban on breeding and killing animals for fur, a ban on abandoned dog euthanasia in shelters, and a ban on using elephants, tigers and other wild animals in circus performances,” stated Luka Oman, President of Animal Friends Croatia, listing only some of the group’s numerous achievements. He added that actual progress had not been made overnight but with the help of many dedicated and determined individuals who were or still are part of the Animal Friends Croatia family: “In the early 2000s, hardly anyone had heard of veganism, whereas today TV commercials for vegan food and cosmetics are a common feature. Just the thought that as little as 10 years ago, some animal treatment was allowed in Croatia which is now unthinkable, makes us realize that our biggest success has been influencing many individuals to choose a compassionate lifestyle.”
Animal Friends Croatia uses the ZeGeVege Festival, and many other public events they organize, to invite citizens to choose sustainable living and demonstrate how easy it is to live compassionately, without hurting those who cannot stand up for themselves. They facilitate the reporting of inhumane animal treatment, as well as continually working on the implementation of the Animal Protection Act and other relevant legislation while reacting to events involving animals and regularly informing the public about them as they fight injustice and refuse to remain silent.
They state that, although significant progress is evident in many areas, there is a lot of work ahead of them: “We will not give up until we live in a world in which animal abuse is perceived equal to people abuse until we empty every last animal cage and put an end to animal abuse while helping stop climate change.”
Since their operation is dependent on donations and financial support, they are appealing to the public to become members or donate, as even the smallest of donations will help them continue working on a more compassionate and fairer Croatia for all animals and humans by organizing more campaigns, actions, fairs, festivals and working on legislative change and implementation of statutory legislation.
Apart from donations, Animal Friends Croatia can be supported in other ways. Click here to find out more about membership applications, ways to support us, and how to donate.