The National Environmental Center NGO, together with a group of animal rights defenders, has developed a draft law on animal protection. It aims to regulate various aspects of how to raise, keep, breed, sell, transport animals, while also introducing penalties for various forms of animal cruelty. Covering all animals, including stray ones, draft was developed as part of the EU-funded project “Help Our Little Friends”.
“The main goal of the draft law is to protect and ensure a humane behavior towards animals, but also their maintenance in accordance with humane principles, regardless of the form of ownership. This draft law creates a legal basis for protecting animals from inhumane treatment, cruelty, suffering or death”, said Karl Luganov, an animal rights activist and co-creator of the draft law.
Elena Culighin, president of the National Environmental Center, said that Moldova lacks modern legislation on animal protection to ensure the welfare of both animals and humans.
Environmental law expert Natalia Zamfir, another co-author, said that Moldova, as a Council of Europe member, must have national legislation that meets the standards of international conventions. For example, Moldova has not signed the European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals even today. Zamfir believes that the EU candidate status obliges Moldova to adjust its legislation and align it with the European one.
