In Estonian | Estonian Animal Protection Act
Bullfight in Estonia?
Report at Congress
Eurogroup for animal welfare, Brussel 2001
During Estonia's independence before WW II there were numerous societies for the prevention of cruelty toward animals. These organizations were mostly initiated and supervised by prominent veterinary professors from Tartu University (e.g. Hans Richter, Elmar Vau). Due to the commencement of war and the following enforced Soviet control, all such societies, various charity and temperance movements, students clubs etc. included, were abolished for half a century.
In 1990 the Estonian Academic Society for Animal Welfare (EASAW) was founded
at the Veterinary Faculty in Tartu. This has been greatly supported by
professor Hackon Westermarck (Finland), president of Nordic Council
for Animal Welfare at the time. Ms Helgi Aart, PhD became the first president
of EASAW. Nordic Council for Animal Welfare, as well World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) accepted EASAW.
Associated with Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) 2001.
For many years we are collaborating with InterNICHE.
The purposes of EASAW include:
Address: Kreutzwaldi 62, 51014 Tartu, Estonia
Board:
The collapse of Soviet Union a decade ago resulted in creation and recreation of numerous independent countries. At first people Baltic States dreamed to continue the interrupted pre-war lifestyle at prosperity of developed Western countries. Notwithstanding being half a century under Soviet power most healthy moral qualities, e.g. the attitude of people towards animals survived.
Facing impending spectacle we addressed with protest to many local WIPes involved as well to international organizations for support to prevent introduction bloody spectacles in Estonia.
Estonians are against bullfighting. There was an interactive TV talk-show and discussion on Delfi Internet portal where people overwhelmingly voted against bullfight. The end TV ratio on screen was 366:179. Internet poll gave results as follows: bullfight prohibited - 41%, senseless - 37% and amusement only - 22%.
The Estonian Academic Society for Animal Welfare (EASAW) was founded in 1990 at
the Veterinary Faculty in Tartu Estonia.
The purposes of EASAW include
Some highlights about the activity in 1998-2000.
EASAW has been engaged in evolving animal protection as a part of humane education. We have been carrying out humane education programs since 1990. There are about 500 registered members in EASAW. There are representatives from different professions, although mostly there are schoolboys and girls, students, teachers, veterinarians, physicians, etc.
We have a room for educational purposes. Here visitors are provided with the consultation on animal welfare. In the same place there are a library, video device, some steady exposition about literature, journals, booklets and leaflets, posters. Many thanks to WSPA, especially Ms Jane Sarluis for bullfight videotape we have got recently. Videos are regularly used in teaching physiology by assistant-professor Ülle Jaakma and in the lectures on animal welfare by Dr. Merle Waldmann. We are thankful to USA organizations, especially to Ms Renee DeKona for regular animal magazines and newspapers "Animal People".
For many years we have been collaborating with EuroNICHE (European Network of Individuals and Campaigns for Humane Education). Some of the ideas of EuroNICHE were already familiar to our students due to previous activity of the professor Evald Reintam in pursuing audio-visual alternatives instead of animal experiments. Evald Reintam, Vice-president of the EASAW, is the contact person of EuroNICHE yet at present. He proclaims that most experiments on animals can be substituted by alternatives if they are valid regarding teaching process and practically available. According to his experience only few topics in animal physiology are provided with alternatives at present, but the availability of them, even on informative level, is eventually insufficient. While teaching animal physiology to students the animal experiments are shown only in videos. All videos used at lessons are audio dubbed into Estonian. With the help of students the video "Alternatives in Education" made by EuroNICHE has been translated into Estonian too as well. The use of special CD-ROM-s is limited for different reasons. Interactive CD is rather expensive, a special room with computers is needed and not all our students are able to understand English sufficiently.
Beside of the educational activity EASAW keeps in touch with municipal offices responsible for control of stray animals, media channels, shelter for pets etc.
The secretary of EASAW, Ms Asta Niinemets has repeatedly visited the shelter for abandoned pet animals in Tallinn. At present there are approximately 150 dogs. The shelter is supported mostly by municipal organizations. The population of Tartu is more than a hundred thousand, but is only one garage for 3 dogs. It needs a quick solution. The activity of Tallinn animal shelter seems to control the number of stray pets. Brought or captured dogs are be left there until passing on to a new owner or re housing. Sick dogs and cats are euthanasized with injections.
In Estonian Agricultural University, Ethical Committee for Animal Experimentation is headed by Vice President of EASAW and involves a representative from Veterinary Faculty and Veterinary Association. A similar Committee is also acting at Faculty of Medicine.
Animal welfare with veterinary ethics have been put into curriculum of Agricultural University students and these are obligatory for veterinary students. Animal welfare problems are regularly discussed with veterinary students at various level. A particular attention has been paid to the animal experimentation. As mentioned physiological experiments on laboratory and small animals have been replaced by alternatives methods, at present mostly by using video films.
Peculiarity of our academic activity consists in aiming for the benefit of animals and preventing their suffering indirectly, through humane education. Schoolboys and girls of Tartu have been in some-way engaged in this activity. The addresses and talking about animals are often accompanied with video programs. If possible, in exposition of photos and written materials is laid out.
Recently our young members, most of them first year veterinary students, carried out a district-wide festival - The Day of Animal Friends. First of all it was dedicated to families with children. Actually people of different ages and occupation came together. There was a speech by the president of EASAW, a concert and a dog-show. Participants enjoyed themselves and dogs while showing various playing skills and agility. The activity of a special trained dog for blind was shown. All this took place in the open air. Children were given a possibility to play with rabbits and guinea pigs, they could also ride, watch videos about animals etc. There was a contest between school boys and girls for better composition regarding animals. The results of contests as well as all the events of the festival was reflected in press and on special page of Internet (http://ph.eau.ee/~astan).
Recently the most outstanding action of EASAW was the prohibition of already
promoted bullfight in an Estonian town Paide. A special Internet page was
dedicated to anti bullfight campaign. After numerous protesting addresses to
ministers, a comprehensive dispute evolved in all kind of media (first of all, in
newspapers and TV). In TV talk-show the representative of EASAW and local
manager of bullfighting disputed simultaneously with opinion poll via calling. People
overwhelmingly voted against bullfight. Similar results were shown in the course of
open Internet discussion.
As a result of public pressure the parliament (both ruling coalition and opposition)
and government decided to make the law of animal protection more strict, including
into the term "animal fighting" also the fighting between human and animal.
Last edited: 20.07.2000
