Latvia is in first place among European member states when it comes demands to ban fur farming, informs Latvian animal rights organisation Animal Freedom.
According to the organisation, a considerable influx of signatures came after a video was posted on social media, depicting twelve well-known Latvian influencers, such as Guntars Račs, Ieva Florence, Intars Busulis, Ralfs Eilands, Signe Meirāne, Kristīne Virsnīte, Jānis Krīvēns, Niklāvs Mičulis, Maija Rozīte-Krištopane, Katrīna Karele, Laura Ķīse and Ingus Rutulis, emotionally react to a video from fur farms and invite residents to sign the official European citizens’ initiative Europe without furs.
On Wednesday, the 7th of December, more than 21 000 Latvian citizens signed the initiative for the banning of fur farming in Europe.
The initiative has received more than 40 000 signatures in Latvia so far.
«This is an unprecedented situation. We have never seen such a level of Latvian residents’ activity in animal rights protection,» says the manager of Animal Freedom Katrīna Krīgere. She adds that this is a clear sign that for Latvians find «respectful and fair treatment of our animals very important».
The European citizens’ initiative is a tool EU citizens can use in order to initiate changes to European legislation and participate in legislative processes directly. The initiative Europe without furs invites the European Commission to ban fur farming in the entirety of the European Union.
According to Animal Freedom, the initiative against fur farming is pushed by more than 60 animal rights organisations in Europe. This initiative came from Eurogroup for Animals. In Latvia signature collection is coordinated by Animal Freedom. It is possible to sign the initiative over at www.eiropabezkazokadam.lv.