50 NGO’s demand Minister Naydenov’s resignation

50 Animal Wellfare NGO’s from Bulgaria, Holland, Germany and Switzerland want the resignation of Bulgarian Minister of Agriculture Miroslav Naydenov on account of “years of institutional languid attempts and lack of control” regarding the stray-dog issue.

In an open letter to the Prime Minister, the Presindent and the Ombudsman the Organizations want a Nation-wide Trap, Neuter & Return Program, as recommended by world-renown experts and the World Health Organization.

More organizations are joining in as we go along. Please note that the official letter has been sent, so we will only be updating the website list of signatures.

Please, help us spread the word and send THIS LETTER to all your contacts in the media and Animal Wellfare NGO’s. Here follows the text:

TO:
Miroslav Naydenov,
Minister of agriculture and foods

COPY TO:
Rosen Plevneliev,
President of Bulgaria
Boyko Borisov,
Prime minister
Konstantin Penchev,
Ombudsman
Yordanka Fandakova,
Mayor of Sofia
John Dalli,
Comissioner for health and consumer policy
Local and International Media

OPEN LETTER

 

Dear doctor Naydenov,
as people who are directly engaged with the stray dog problem we believe that your position on radical legislation changes aims to distract the public attention from the true origins of the problem.

We also believe that you are the one responsible for the long years of institutional languid attempts and lack of control in enforcing the current stray dog legislation.

For having 47% of the echinococcal disease of the EU here in Bulgaria – not in the cities where the stray dog population is the largest, but in rural areas where your National Food Safety Agency has zero control over the illegitimate cultivation, butchering and consumption of meat-producing animals;

For refusing to work with experts and relying on populist and ineffective methods to solve the stray dog problem – thus increasing both corruption in the related authorities and risk to the health of the citizens;

For having assimilated formidable amounts of money for the non-existent pet dog registry database, which should have been finished by the National Food Safety Agency back in 2008 and is still unusable;

For not punishing one single person for abandoning their pet since the Animal Protection Act is in force – from 2008;

For the fact that the Ministry of Agriculture neglects the recommendations both of the European Parliament and the World Health Organization on Trap, Neuter & Return as an only effective long-term way to solve a stray dog situation that also benefits public health;

For not being at all concerned with the recommendations of the world-renown experts (invited to Bulgaria in 2010 by the Ministry itself) who suggested Bulgaria needs a National strategy on the issue. That is to say: Trap, Neuter & Return on a national level, coordinated by the central government and executed in a military manner in all Bulgarian municipalities;

For having neglected the ombudsman’s standpoint on the issue. Mr. Konstantine Penchev sent his advice back in the beginning of 2011, insisting that the Ministry of Agriculture should be the one to lead a National Strategy: to help the municipalities by  providing funds, legislation and coordinating a nation-wide Trap, Neuter & Return program;

For refusing a public-private partnership on the issue, despite the many recommendations and good practices of the EU, and even rushing a bill through so that the NGO’s are excluded from the process;

For deceiving the public as a veterinarian and a Minister in order to increase the tension in society, polarize opinions on the issue in order to avoid a constructive dialog and analysis of the weak, unmethodical and corrupt work of the municipalities and the ministry on the problem;

We expect you to take up your political responsibility and resign as Minister of Agriculture and Foods.

We remain open to a dialog.
Sofia 09.04.2012

1. Four Paws/Vier Pfoten – Bulgaria

2. Animal Rescue Sofia – Bulgaria

3. Intimate With Nature Society – Bulgaria

4. Citizen group “Animal Welfare Society – Shoumen” – Bulgaria

5. Citizen Group “Friendly Help For The Stray Dogs – Ardino” – Bulgaria

6. “Brücke der Hoffnung für Hunde in Not” DE – 83329 Waging am See – Deutschland

7. “Tierschutzverein/Tierschutzhof SOS-Colliehilfe e.V.”  DE-32369 Rahden – Deutschland

8. “Deutsch-Griechischer Tierschutzverein e. V.”   DE-51107 Köln – Deutschland

9. Ovidefarm – Netherlands

10. Stichting Dierennood – Netherlands

11. Animal Foundation Platform – Netherlands

12. Tierhilfe Sofia – Switzerland

13. Citizen Group “Love and Care” – Bulgaria

14. Citizen Group “Cat Friends” – Bulgaria

15. Non-profit organization “Care and Shelter For Everyone” – Bulgaria

16. Non-profit organization “Citizen Control – Protection of Animals” – Bulgaria

17. Citizen Group “City For People” – Bulgaria

18. Non-profit association “Dai Lapa” – Bulgaria

19. National Rottweiler Club – Bulgaria

20. Citizen group “Help For Animals In Need” – Bulgaria

21. Foundation “AFA” – Bulgaria

22. Citizen group for education and help “Friends Of The Pitbull Terrier” – Bulgaria

23. “Animal Wellfare Society – Lom” – Bulgaria

24. Deutsche-Bulgarische Strassenhilfe – Rousse – Bulgaria

25. Animal Rights Protection Association – Bulgaria

26. “Hop For The Strays” Foundation – Bulgaria

27. “Animal Friends Bourgas” Foundation – Bulgaria

28. “Sharko” Foundation – Bulgaria

29. “Friends for Animals” Association – Bulgaria

30. “Together Against Animal Abuse” Association – Bulgaria

31. “Loyal Eyes – Balchik” – Bulgaria

32. Citizen Association “Love for Love” – Dobrich – Bulgaria

33. “Green Light” Association – Primorsko – Bulgaria

34. “Care for Homeless Dogs” Federation – Bulgaria

35. Stichting PIN – Netherlands

36. Dierenbelangen – Netherlands

37. Citizen Association “Let’s Adopt” – Bulgaria

38. “Help For The Animals – Dara” Association – Bulgaria

39. “Animal Hope Bulgaria – Varna” Foundation – Bulgaria

40. „Hunde in Not „ DE- 29690 Lindwedel – Deutschland

41. „Tierhielfe Heidekreis“  DE- 29308 Winsen – Deutschland

42. „New Life 4 Spanish Animals“  DE-13053 Berlin – Deutschland

43. „Gnadenhof Garscha Tierschutzgruppe Rüppurr/Odenheim e.V. „Odenheim – Deutschland

44. „Tierhilfe Zarzis e.V. „  – Deutschland

45.“ Tierschutzverein Helfe4Pfoten e.V. „ DE-93326 Abensberg  –  Deutschland

46. Tierheim Surber  CH- 8046 Zürich – Switzerland

47. “Animal Help Varna” Foundation – Bulgaria

48. “Animal Hope Plovdiv” Foundation – Bulgaria

49. National Cocker Club – Bulgaria

50. National Kynological Club Cane Corso – Bulgaria

51. “Animal protection Society”, Sevlievo – Bulgaria

52. “Citizen control – aid to the animals” Association – Bulgaria

53. Dog training school “Dea”, Plovidiv – Bulgaria

54. “My friend – the dog” Magazine – Bulgaria

55. Dogo Argentino Cynological Club – Bulgaria

56. Kinlogical Union Plovdiv – Bulgaria

57.  “Care for the voiceless” Association, Silistra  – Bulgaria

58. Help for strays – Netherlands

59. Animalhope Tierhilfe Nitra – Austria

60. Stichting MyrSis – Netherlands

61. NGO Bulgaria Animal Protection Vratza – Bulgaria

62. Citizen Group “Homeless in Plovdiv” – Bulgaria

63. Occupy For Animals – Bulgaria

64. European Society of Dog and Animal Welfare