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The Greek zoo Attica Park fined 44360 €. Let's demand its closure !
One Voice leads a nonviolent fight to defend animal rights and respect all life forms. The organization operates independently and is thus free to speak and act freely.
In Greece, trained animal shows are forbidden. But at Attica Park, dolphins and including Ekinox sold by Parc Astérix after being torn from his mother Femke, were forced to perform under the hot sun. The zoo has just been fined 44360 €. We must go further and ask the authorities to close this park.
It
took two years of campaigning and several complaints against shows
using captive dolphins in the Attica Zoological Park in Greece for
state inspectors to officially find that the park was in complete
violation of Greek legislation with regard to these representations.
The
report is without appeal. The park has worked without any
authorization for 4 years between 2013 and 2017! But why would they
stop there? Thus Article 13 of the Greek Law N.4039 / 2012 stipulates
that “keeping animals in parks is allowed on condition that no
show is organized with the participation of animals“. What would
the inspectors note during their visit on November 3, 2016? And
although for an additional € 3, visitors to the zoo could watch a
dolphin show at 11:00 for 20 minutes. What could be more logical…?
Already,
just a simple respect of the law did not seem to be a strong point of
Attica, it was not necessary moreover to ask them to follow the
evolution of the law! Thus in 2014, when articles 12 and 13 of the
law N.4039 / 2012 were modified, with article 12 thus taking the
title of “It is prohibited to use any animal in any kind of
exhibition and similar activities” , one should not expect the
zoo to read the following prohibitions:
- 1
– It is forbidden to keep any animal in a circus or variety show if
the animals are used in any way whatsoever and for any reason in
their program, during shows or when a walk or in front of an
audience.
- 2
– It is forbidden to use any type of animal in entertainment
companies, car shows, music festivals, folk festivals or any other
artistic or entertainment event if the animals are used in any way
whether in their programs.
- 2a
– Without prejudice to the provisions of Article 7, it is forbidden
to present animals to the public for economic gain.
And
besides what did the park say after the inspection? That the
inspectors had “a misinterpretation of the law, and were biased”
and provided “efforts to create negative impressions” and
that in doing so there was no violation. The park also claims that
since January 2017, no fees have been charged for the dolphin show,
but only the price to enter the zoo. They should really have read the
articles of law that concern them because this statement shows the
for-profit nature of their activity and therefore the violation of
presenting animals to the public for economic gain.
On
our side, we congratulate Parc Astérix for tearing Ekinox from his mother, Femke, to be sold with another dolphin, little Naska, to this
establishment that is trying so hard to break the law.
The Dolphinaria Free Europe coalition,
of which One Voice is a member, will continue to support all attempts
to get the Greek authorities to enforce the law banning shows with
animals.
Demand
the closure of Attica Park.
Send
e-mails to the following person as well as to the Greek Embassy in
Paris to urge them to enforce the law with immediate effect:
Mr
Giorgos Stathakis
Minister
of the Environment
The
Greek Embassy in Paris
Ambassador:
Aglaia Balta
This article is a free translation of the article published on the website of Dolphinaria Free Europe.