The 18 NGOs that have signed the manifesto, started by the animal advocacy organization Loomus, all share the same standpoint that fur farms and animal circuses should be banned in Estonia.
According to the Loomus member Kadri Taperson, the manifesto was created in order to assemble organizations that support banning fur farms and animal circuses, and to show the decision-makers that these are no longer issues of some individual animal activists, but wider socio-cultural problems. “We invite all organizations who share the standpoints expressed in the manifesto to sign it,” said Taperson.
“Fur farms and animal circuses are industries maintained by people’s trivial desires for luxury and entertainment. This is a sign of a social issue about using animals and causing them suffering for needless purposes,” is stated in the manifesto. “The contemporary society, along with its norms and laws, are in constant development and, based on these circumstances, it is necessary to amend the laws in the way that they would correspond to the currently held values. The organizations, who have signed the manifesto, find that it is time to make the amendments brought about by the changes in ethical convictions: animal use for the purpose of luxury and entertainment belongs to the past.”
Those, who have signed the manifesto for banning animal farms, stand for ending all animal farming that involves keeping animals solely for the purpose of producing fur. The undersigned find that the farms should be banned with a transition period of maximum 10 years, following the examples of other European countries (Great Britain, Austria, the Netherlands, Croatia etc), as this would give the farmers a chance to reorganize their business; animal use in circuses should be banned with a one-year transition period.
The animal advocacy organization Loomus is the initiator of the manifesto, which has been signed by most of the Estonian animal protection organizations and other NGOs supporting ethical ways of living.
By today, the manifesto has been signed by Estonian Society for the Protection of Animals, Estonian Green Movement, Estonian Animal Protection Association, Estonian Society of Tenerife, Estonian Vegan Society, Estonian Students Environmental Protection Association Scorex, movement In The Name of Animals, MTÜ Experimental Movement Center, NGO Ethical Links, NGO Cats’ Shelter Home, NGO Kelmiküla Cat Station, NGO animal advocacy organization Loomus, NGO Jägala Jõe Hüvanguks, NGO Saaremaa Pets Shelter Home, NGO Tartu Cat Protection, NGO Toolse Homeless Pets Shelter, Association for Noarootsi Environment and Culture Protection and NGO Animal Shelters.
The full text of the manifesto is available on the Loomus website: https://loomus.ee/manifesto-estonian-ngos-support-banning-fur-farms-and-animal-circuses/