Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)

SAV Comment – we have always been a pro-EU organisation; after all, I (Mark) was involved with a fighter jet manufactured by a European consortium back in the 80’s. (See more on ‘About Us’ – https://serbiananimalsvoice.com/about-us/   Now, the EU is getting very much out of control – the EU DOES NOT LISTEN to its own citizens and undertake the changes that they request.  They do not have any voice – instead non elected self admirers named ‘Commissioners’ now run the whole show whilst giving the two fingers to the EU citizen demanding change.  Normal people don’t want to change the world, they just want changes for the better – in our case mainly animal welfare.

The article below is very much a typical example of the stupidity / ignorance of the EU.  It is 2015 for Gods sake, not 1815; people know good from bad and they want changes to happen – now !  We are told the never ending story that we have an EU Parliament with MEP’s who will always address our concerns.  Sorry but that statement is complete and utter ‘tosh’.  For example, for many years, EU citizens have had big concerns about the abuse of animals in Spain for the very reasons outlined below – so called ‘;traditions’ which go back to the middle of time; whilst ignoring the fact that we have now moved on and (most of us anyway) do not get a kick out of causing suffering to animals.  But because it is tradition in Spain to pull the heads off live birds, or bullfight, or set light to bulls horns, the EU can do nothing about it.

Sorry but that is crap.  It is 2015 and Spain needs to get in touch with the modern world, not live as animal abusers still in the dark ages.

And what actually are our huge MEP membership actually doing about the abuses in Spain ? – answer – nothing.  They should, and this ignorance is what simply raises the anger of most European citizens.  The Commissioners say ‘shut up’, and so we must all shut up; simple as that.   The way the EU is going at present; certainly not working in defence of animals anywhere quickly enough; we will probably give our support to getting out of the EU in the 2017 referendum as promised by the UK government to UK citizens; let the UK people decide on their future in the EU.

The EU and its politicians are failing them, so who wants to remain surrounded by an institution who say that they can do nothing when the reality is they could; but probably don’t want all the trouble of doing it – an easy life I think they call it.

If we get out of Europe, the abuse will continue; but it does regardless of our position in or out anyway.  Lets (the UK) leave and get the EU masterclass to fumble their way through doing nothing except getting bigger salaries and further taking on the new abuses of Serbia, Romania and the rest.  Quite often you get to a point where no matter what you try to do to improve animal welfare, you just get kicked in the balls.  The EU and its politicians are doing this to EU citizens today, as they will tomorrow and the day after.

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http://www.care2.com/causes/spanish-festival-season-set-to-claim-60000-lives-for-our-entertainment.html

Spanish Festival Season Set to Claim 60,000 Lives for Our Entertainment

Each year in Spain, more than 16,000 local and national fiestas take place which involve the torture, mutilation and murder of over 60,000 animals.

Despite annual protests, high profile animal rights campaigns and worldwide media attention, many of these cruel festivities are now receiving new legal protection and are more popular than ever before, which begs the question: When will it end?

Local Traditions Don’t Die Easy in Spain

One of the first things to understand about Spain is that many of its people are fiercely loyal to their local town or village. Having developed over many centuries, and often being closely tied into religious ceremonies, these local fiestas are a showcase of local identity, bringing the community together in celebration.

An abuser holds up the severed head of Goose which has just been ripped from the body.

Many of the cruel and inhumane practices that have developed would never be tolerated outside of these events and are definitely in violation of the (albeit lax) animal rights laws in Spain. Yet, when it comes to fiesta time, almost anything goes, and the scenes which can be witnessed up and down the country defy belief.

Some of the horrors which take place at different fiestas include geese having their heads ripped off, pigs having their throats slit on the streets, bulls having their horns set alight with burning tar, goats being dropped out of bell towers, and rats being thrown around the town.

These sickening events are not just tolerated, they’re celebrated and enjoyed by all sections of society, including families who bring their young children to join in. This is not a shaming session of the Spanish people, but an observation on the power of tradition and culture in blinding us to the reality of what’s really happening.

If any of these events were to take place under different circumstances, in a different cultural setting, they would cause shock and outrage, and would certainly be stopped in an instant. But because these events have been happening for generations, it’s a different story.

Why Isn’t the Law Protecting the Animals?

Given the cultural background to these disturbing practices, you might think that progressive modern animal welfare laws would protect the animals from suffering this horrific abuse and torture for our yearly entertainment, but the opposite seems to be true in many cases.

While some activities, such as the Andalucian festival where a live turkey is thrown from a church tower, have been made illegal due to pressure from animal rights campaigners, this has not prevented the event from taking place. Locals in the village are so intent on hosting this barbaric fiesta, that they are willing to group together to pay the 2,000 Euro fine, with the local mayor Juan Balbin Garrido stating that “if they tried to stop the turkey throwing, people would riot.”

Many of the higher profile events, especially those involving bulls, have received new legal protection in recent years, in an attempt to protect Spain’s cultural heritage. Bullfighting, the burning bull, the running of the bulls and other events are world renowned and closely tied in with Spain’s cultural image, bringing in tourism and helping the economy to thrive. Any attempts to undermine this for animal rights reasons are now being overruled at the highest levels of government. When will the suffering end for these poor animals?

History Needs to Be Left in the Past

There’s no doubt that modern day laws, created without the backdrop of Spain’s violent and bloody cultural heritage, would save almost all of the 60,000 animals who are mercilessly abused, humiliated and murdered for our entertainment each year.

It’s time for civilized societies to judge our actions by a new moral compass and not be swayed by what has gone before.

Change EU, stop the animal abuse jargon, and do it very soon, or we in the UK say one thing to you:

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ez5XzarIIQ

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