9 charities have signed the "Carta di Roma" for the recovery of rescued animals not for profit
Posted on 3 March 2017.Press Release - 3 March, World Wildlife Day: 9 charities have signed the "Carta di Roma" for the recovery of rescued animals not for profit and write to ministers Gentiloni, Galletti, Lorenzin and Bonaccini to point out the delay of State. "We need a new regulatory framework for the recognition and promotion of recovery centers and the animal sanctuaries, preserving and making effective their collective interest".
On the occasion of the World Wildlife Day, the international day of nature convened by the United Nations, charities Enpa, Il Rifugio degli Asinelli, Italian Horse Protection, LAV, Legambiente, Lega Nazionale per la Difesa del Cane, Lipu-BirdLife Italy, Rete dei Santuari Animali Liberi, WWF Italy wrote to the President of the council of ministers Gentiloni, the Minister of Environment and Territory and Sea Gian Luca Galletti, the Minister of Health Beatrice Lorenzin and the President of the conference of Regions and autonomous Provinces Stefano Bonaccini, by sending them the "Carta di Roma" for the recovery of rescued animals not for profit, just signed by the representatives of the nine associations.
CEO Carla Rocchi (ENPA), Barbara Massa (Il Rifugio degli Asinelli ONLUS), Sonny Richichi (IHP), Gianluca Felicetti (LAV), Rossella Muroni (Legambiente), Michele Pezone (Lega Nazionale per la Difesa del Cane), Fulvio Mamone Capria (Lipu-BirdLife Italy), Patrizia Fantilli (legal department WWF Italy) have met at one of the many existing structures in Italy, the Wildlife Rescue Centre active in Rome and managed by Lipu-BirdLife Italy, which daily experiences the absence of legislation, the delays and the chronic lack of economic resources by the competent institutions.
The petitioners denounce the improper delay of which the State is responsible with respect to the care, protection and management of the animals.
They underline the urgent need to overcome this situation and ask for a meeting in order to discuss the actions proposed in the Charter for the realization of a National Plan of Action to address adequately the enormous animal suffering caused by lawlessness and crime.
"We need - say the signatories - a new regulatory framework for the recognition and promotion of recovery centers and the animal sanctuaries, preserving and making effective their collective interest".
The Criminal Code, international treaties, EU directives and laws on trafficking of exotic animals, wildlife, lab animals, circuses, zoos, pet, establish specific commitments to the State about the protection of wild and domestic animals; for years, the State has taken the cultural commitment and obligation to care for them directly or indirectly.
These commitments, however, are largely unmet: they have not been translated into specific rules on structures, licensing procedures, methods of acceptance, adoption and maintenance of the animals, nor adequate funding.
Against this, the number of animals seized and confiscated has increased sharply over the past decade and the data provided by the Public Prosecutors indicate that in 2013 more than 8,000 files have been opened just for mistreatment in Italy, from which it is estimated that not less than 27 thousand animals were seized; while, in the same year, according to the data of the Veterinary Services of the health Trusts, are estimated not less than 25 thousand wild animals were admitted into several structures.
In some cases, the State has preferred to re-enter the seized animals into the the commercial distribution of exploitation from where they had just been subtracted, in open contrast to the protective legislation that that State should apply. A clear example is that of wild exotic animals confiscated from circuses and mostly relocated to zoos, or the case of livestock seized and given to other livestock farms for profit. Or still it happens that animals, once impounded for lack of care facilities, are left to the incriminate owners.
Nursing facilities, rehabilitation and long term care centers are few and with little aid. The voluntary associations can not replace entirely the disengagement of the State and local authorities, who have instead a duty to the community to ensure the application of the existing rules to protect animals. The State has not yet expressed a willingness to develop a comprehensive strategy of intervention and instead caused the bankruptcy of the few existing instruments, such as the National Fund for the re-use of sanctions for ill-treatment.
But this has to change. It is urgently needed a comprehensive national strategy, of which the signatories of the "Charter of Rome" identified 12 key issues, including support for centers and sanctuaries for animals, which play a recognized function of public utility, with innovative tools already used in the environmental field.