‘The trainer beats the horse from the front to make sure it won’t try to lower itself back down. During this exercise the horse’s mouth is usually torn until it bleeds. The horse’s strong, powerful lips cannot withstand the sudden jerk, and its bloody eyes pop out of their sockets.’  – Alexander Nevzorov

Animal Friends Days

The 8th Animal Friends Days (October 1-4) are behind us and, as it was the case in previous years, wemarked them with various activities.

October 1 – the Veggie Challenge: On World Vegetarian Day we prepared a tasting of vegan snacks which we offered to Zagreb’s people on the occasion of ending the Veggie Challenge. The participants of the Veggie Challenge decided to go vegetarian or vegan in the period of 14 days, and people from 25 Croatian towns signed up, amongst them Croatian celebrities like Petra Nizetic, Iva Sulentic, Ivana Radovnikovic i Ana Stunic.

October 2 – a lecture by Jens Holm: This year too we marked World Farm Animals Day in collaboration with FARM – Farm Animal Rights Movement organizing the lecture of Jens Holm, the former MEP from Sweden. Many people attended the lecture ‘Food and Climate’ which Jens Holm held in the Europe House Zagreb after he first met with the members of the Committee for Environmental Protection of the Croatian Parliament. Those who attended the lecture got their own copy of the The Livestock Industry and the Climate report. You can see this lecture on our YouTube channel.

October 3 – vegan.hr: We marked the third Animal Friends Day in Zagreb’s Internet Club SublinK where along with the projection of the film ‘Veni, Vidi, Vegani’ and vegan cookies we promoted a new web site dedicated to veganism www.vegan.hr.

October 4 – program on Zagreb’s lake Bundek: After Ivana Surjan, the World Animal Day ambassador, invited individuals and associations in Croatia to join in the marking of this day, we also joined the City of Zagreb which organized the marking of this day at Zagreb’s lake Bundek by holding the information stalls, organizing performances of the children’s choir Kikici, the dance group Capoeira, as well as the etno singer Elma, and the singer Minea. Together with the associations Suza and Futura we launched a petition for the reform of the Croatian veterinary inspection.

New Protests Against Circus with Animals

Unfortunately, one circus with animals is again in Croatia. We have sent several reports because of not complying to the Animal Protection Act and other legal oversights and also organized protests before each show, inviting citizens not to visit circuses with animals. Reports were sent to the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fishery and Rural Development and the Office for Veterinary Inspection. We also appealed to the circus asking them not to use animals in the future but to restructure itself into a circus in which only people will entertain people.

News and Announcements

– Our representatives participated at the European Vegetarian Union meeting in Berlin where they discussed the spreading of the V-Label, as well as at the meeting of the European Coalition to End Animal Experiments in Stockholm.

– Among the news on our web site you can sign the petition to stop the burning of live Bulls, check the new books Skinny Bitch and The Face on Your Plate, read the new articles ‘Livestock and Climate Change’ and ‘What About Domestic Animals in Circuses?,’ and listen to the AJ-Gang song Mach die Augen auf.

– On November 7 we are organizing the socializing in the Internet club SublinK in Zagreb, Teslina 12, where many vegan snacks can be tasted at affordable prices.

– We invite you to the big protest against life-animal transport which will take place on Saturday November 21, 2009 at 11 A.M. in Zagreb. Besides joining us at this protest, you can also join the virtual protest against vivisection. More information about it can be found at www.makeanimaltestinghistory.org.

– On November 28, 2009 in our office we organize the workshop AktiVeg for activists at 6 P.M.. Both, those who are already active for animal rights and those who are yet considering whether to join us, are welcome to the workshop.

– You can find more about our future activities and information stalls in our Calendar of Activities. If you want to know how you can join in our work please check out our How You Can Help section.

We are inviting you to support our work by becoming our member and by paying your yearly membership fee and/or sending us your kind donation.

Thank you for reading us and for your continuous support!

Your Animal Friends Croatia