MANIFESTO: Estonian NGOs support banning fur farms and animal circuses

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. 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.

Thus, we:

– believe that there is no place for fur farms and animal circuses in today’s society;

– disapprove of circus shows that use animals, and fur farming for the purpose of producing fur;

– inform the society about the conditions of the animals in fur and circus industries;

– work for the sake of banning fur farms and animal circuses;

– actively participate in the making of the respective legislation, and cooperate with the monitoring institutions;

– wish and hope that the superficial change in the society’s values spreads further and, in order to ensure this, we focus on advocating and popularizing  an animal-friendly lifestyle.

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. Banning animal circuses would end bringing circuses that use animals (both domestic and wild animals) to Estonia. As there are no local circuses in Estonia, and our country is visited only by traveling circuses, we find it appropriate to ban animal use in circuses 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 lifestyle. The undersigned share the same standpoint that fur farms and animal circuses should be banned in Estonia, following the examples of other European countries.

Estonian Society for the Protection of Animals

Estonian Green Movement

Estonian Animal Protection Association

Estonian Vegan Society

Estonian Society of Tenerife

Estonian Students Environmental Protection Association Scorex

Movement In The Name of Animals

NGO Experimental Movement Center

NGO Ethical Links

NGO Cats’ Shelter Home

NGO Kelmiküla Cat Station

NGO Jägala Jõe Hüvanguks

NGO animal advocacy organization Loomus

NGO Saaremaa Pets Shelter Home

NGO Tartu Cat Protection,

NGO Toolse Homeless Pets Shelter

Association for Noarootsi Environment and Culture Protection

NGO Animal Shelters