Romania’s Presidential Administration to host summit on animal welfare

The Presidential Administration will host the second edition of Animal Summit Romania on September 29 - 30, Diana Pungă, a state adviser for relations with civil society at the institution, announced on Friday, August 14.

The event, organized by the non-profit Sache Vet Association and Bucharest’s Animal Protection Administration ASPA, will take place at Cotroceni Palace.

Over two days, it will gather public administration representatives, veterinarians, legal and education specialists, non-governmental organizations and other experts to discuss animal protection and welfare and solutions to challenges in the field.

“Romania continues to face major challenges in the field of animal protection. Beyond the issue of abandonment and the lack of education about responsible pet ownership, civil society frequently raises concerns about the non-transparent operation of some private shelters, suspected abusive euthanasia practices and difficulties in uniformly enforcing existing legislation. In many communities, volunteers, NGOs and active citizens end up compensating for the lack of coherent institutional mechanisms by becoming directly involved in animal rescue, shelter monitoring and the promotion of responsible sterilization and adoption,” an announcement from the organizers reads.

All of these aspects point to an urgent need for clear standards and consistently implemented public policies protecting both the communities and the animals, the organizers said.

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