In an effort to persuade the Moldovan authorities to join the community of states that ratified the European Convention for the Protection of Pets, the Political Party “For People, Nature and Animals” (PONA) calls on the head of state to initiate negotiations for the signing and subsequent ratification of this document. The party’s chairman Ion Dron invoked the importance of harmonizing the national legislation on animal protection with the European one in connection with the EU accession negotiations.

“The European Union has some of the highest regulatory standards on animal welfare in the world. And together with the citizens, they are increasingly concerned about a positive impact on animal welfare and social welfare. As an example, the Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals, adopted in Strasbourg on November 13, 1987, sets out common minimum standards for all EU member states to protect pets from unnecessary suffering or useless injury caused by humans,” Ion Dron told a press conference hosted by IPN.

Giving the example of the neighboring states, the PONA chairman noted that Romania ratified the Strasbourg Convention in 2004 and the same year adopted the legal framework on animal protection. Ukraine in 2006 adopted a framework law on the protection of animals from cruelty, while the Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals was ratified in 2013. The Republic of Moldova is the only country in the region which hasn’t ratified the European Convention and has no legal framework to guarantee animal welfare and protection. 

Ion Dron said that the problem of animals, especially abandoned ones, is not “a headache, as it is perceived by the local authorities, but is a social problem. We need to take animal welfare very seriously”.

In order to speed up the process of joining the Convention, PONA designed a model bill accompanied by a motivation note, which is to be submitted to the President’s Office. Ion Dron urged the community for the protection of animals and all those who wants to live in a community without abandoned animals to support this initiative. 

Note: IPN Agency offers the right of reply to persons who consider themselves targeted in the news made from the statements of the organizers of this press conference, including by facilitating the organization of another press conference under similar conditions.