On the occasion of World Animal Day, 4 October, the head of the Croatian Friends of Animals NGO, Luka Oman, said that the situation regarding animal protection in Croatia was problematic in terms of implementation of laws and punishment of non-compliance.

World Animal Day is celebrated annually on October 4, the feast day of Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals, and it was first observed in 1931.

“Even though progress has been made with regard to respect for animal rights and animal protection, on this day we point to the importance of respecting all animal species that are victims of human selfishness, violence and sadism on a daily basis,” Oman told Hina.

He stressed that around the globe there was a growing awareness of animals’ rights and their legal protection was increasingly good.

As for Croatia, “despite education and a relatively good legal framework, which needs improvement, there are problems when it comes to implementing laws and punishing non-compliance,” Oman said, citing in that context the need for a total ban on dog chaining, on using animals in circuses, and on physical persons holding certain wild animals in captivity, as well as the need for stricter prison sentences for people convicted of torturing and killing animals.