An animal rescue organization is looking for an individual from Giurgiu who killed a rabbit in a fight. Those from the “Salvăm iepurași” Association also initiated a petition for his punishment. It would not be a first: in the past, other people have responded to the court for similar acts.
The bunny was found more dead than alive in a dumpster. PHOTO: We save bunnies
The bunny was found in a dumpster, in Giurgiu, on March 26, 2024, and members of the association tried to save it and took it to a veterinary clinic. But it was too late for the poor animal, which did not survive due to the severity of the blows.
“This bunny was found on March 26 in Giurgiu, hit and thrown by an individual at the dumpsters. He was taken over by a person who witnessed what happened (Stefanita Dobretin 0765535048), and then we, the Asociația Salvăm Iepurași – Usagi Rescue, took him over. Two of the people who help us (Rusu Petru – 0767626961, Csaszar Bianca – 0734755030) went to Giurgiu at night to get the bunny to be able to bring it to Bucharest, to the Exotic Vet Center clinic (0371396842). He was hospitalized for two days, and today he died. His body was too weakened from the severe traumas he had endured“, reported the representatives of the association.
A prison sentence of up to 7 years can be reached
They are now calling for the ruthless individual to be brought to justice as required by law in such cases. According to the law, if he is identified and found guilty by the judges, he faces up to seven years in prison.
“It is not normal for animal abuse to be tolerated and that is why we are calling on you to bring to people's attention what is happening in Romania. We believe that bunnies also deserve to be protected, and that people who commit such abuses should be held accountable by the law. We want nothing more than for the guilty person to suffer the consequences of their actions. It's time for Romania to give more importance to the animals around us. Please give us a chance and spread this story. We want Justice for Amo!”said the representatives of the association, who also promoted this case on social networks.
The cruelly beaten bunny did not survive. PHOTO: We save bunnies
And the Association “Salvăm iepurași” did not stop there. On Friday, March 29, 2024, he also initiated a petition asking the Giurgiu Police to solve this case and find the perpetrator.
“In view of the exposed factual situation, I request you to order the following measures: the arrest and punishment according to the rules provided in law 205/2004 and 138/2022 for killing animals with unlawful intent and their mutilation, an act punishable by imprisonment from two to seven years according to the law. I request that, within the legal term, you communicate to me at the email address provided in this petition the manner in which the petition will be resolved and the measures taken”, it is mentioned in the petition.
What does the law say?
On May 16, 2022, in the Official Gazette of Romania, Law no. 138 of 2022, for the amendment and completion of Law no. 205/2004, regarding the protection of animals, which provides for the increase of the special limits of punishments and contraventional fines provided in the basic form of the normative act. Specifically, the mentioned law has the following provisions:
“Surgical interventions intended to change the appearance of an animal or for other non-curative purposes, such as codotomy, ear clipping, sectioning of the vocal cords, claw removal, beak and teeth cutting, are punishable by imprisonment from 6 months to 3 years or a fine. It is punishable by imprisonment from 6 months to 3 years or a fine for the separation of cubs from their mother until the age of at least eight weeks of life, with a view to commercialization, except for the removal of cubs from their mother before the minimum species-specific period for weaning.”
The law also provides that: “The use of live animals for training animals or to control their aggression, if it causes them suffering, is punishable by imprisonment from 6 months to 3 years or a fine. Also, the use of wild animals belonging to the vertebrate subspecies, regardless of the degree of taming, born in captivity or captured from nature, in circus shows, traveling circuses, caravans and bands traveling artists, as well as in any other types of similar performances.”
Last but not least, the law also contains other provisions: “The use of tranquilizer weapons on animals in other situations than to immobilize them is punishable by imprisonment from one to 5 years or a fine. Shooting domestic animals or captive wild animals and intentionally injuring animals are punishable by imprisonment from one to 5 years or a fine. At the same time, the killing of animals, with intent, without right, the mutilation of animals, the organization of fights between animals or with animals, and zoophilia are punishable with imprisonment from 2 to 7 years.”
The element of novelty brought by Law 138/2022 for the amendment and completion of Law no. 205/2004 is zoophilia, which has been regulated in national law, is a crime and is punishable by two to seven years in prison.
“Increasing the special limits is necessary, as it creates the conditions for citizens to be held accountable, by placing the act in a higher category of social danger”another important clarification.
In addition, the same law provides that the court can also give other complementary punishments, going as far as banning those found guilty from owning animals for up to five years. Last but not least, the police can issue fines, as follows:
“If in the old form of the normative act, the special limits of the contravention fine were between 1,000 lei and 3,000 lei, from now on, the police can apply contravention fines between 3,000 lei and 12,000 lei, in case of finding the following facts: Non-compliance with the obligation of animal owners to provide them with adequate shelter, sufficient food and water, the possibility of sufficient movement, care, attention and medical assistance; The use of animals for exhibitions, shows, advertising, filmmaking and similar purposes, if these activities cause them physical and mental suffering, ailments or injuries.”
In the same way, other acts are punished, such as: “Abandoning and/or driving away an animal whose existence depends on human care; Administration of substances intended to stimulate the physical capacities of animals, during sports competitions, in the form of doping; The use of training means that cause mental or physical trauma, as well as methods that harm the health or well-being of the animal.”
Man sentenced after killing a bunny
If the bunny killer were convicted by a court, this would not be a first. For the first time in Romania, a man from Iași was sentenced by the judges, after, among other things, he was accused of killing a rabbit in a fight.
According to BZI.ro, in 2020 the Iași Court sentenced Petrică Florea to two years and seven months in prison, suspended. for aggravated robbery and killing animals without right. This is after Florea, along with three other individuals, robbed a pensioner and killed a bunny in the woman's yard in a fight.
“Following the incident, the injured person reported the commission of the crime of destruction, consisting in the fact that the 4 tires of the cart parked in the yard were pricked with a fork. It was also established that the defendant Petrică Florea took a rabbit that was in a cage from the injured person's yard and kicked it intentionally until it was killed.” the prosecutors mentioned then, according to the quoted source.
Animals are no longer sold to anyone
Such cases have caused owners of pet stores to show restraint in some cases, even turning away certain buyers.
Such a case was reported by “Adevărul”. Two young men, one aged 25 and the other aged 21, complained that the saleswoman of a Pet Shop refused to serve them when they wanted to buy a bunny and asked them to come accompanied by their parents, even though they had documents and could prove that they are of age.
The 21-year-old who reported the case on Reddit caused a real debate and divided netizens into two camps. If some of them believe that the seller exaggerated and that she would have been forced to sell the animal to them, others say that the woman proceeded exactly by the book and that she did what she had to do.
