National Ecological Centre of Ukraine (NECU) is highly concerned about the Mowgli Mobile Zoo now located in the city of Severodonetsk, Lugansk region.

According to local authorities, the few inspections of this mobile zoo showed that conditions provided for animals and all paperwork met all applicable requirements.

However, photos and videos made by journalists and animal protection activists give evidence of something very different. Check at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WJiMzk25bw,  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6LTo9Q3ElU,

http://pryroda.in.ua/dop-kyiv/severodonec-fotomaterialy/#more-595.

Despite quick actions taken by the zoo staff and owners to make it look “properly", NECU is sure that the animals have been treated cruelly, which is a breach of the Law of Ukraine on Protection of Animals from Cruel Treatment No. 3447-IV dated 21.01.2006, article 299 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine and article 89 of the Administrative Offence Code.

We reiterate that mobile zoos are PROHIBITED by the Law of Ukraine on Protection of Animals from Cruel Treatment (article 25, Treatment of animals involved in shows, sports and leisure events: mobile zoos are illegal).

Olena Sychova, animal protection inspector in Rubizhne city, Lugansk region, said: “Lion's condition was the first thing that drew my attention when I came to Severodonetsk for inspection on February 10. It was evidently starving and needed immediate medical help. The camel’s cage was so small that it could hardly move inside".

“Due to wide-scale public efforts of journalists, animal protection activists, people of Severodonetsk, and directors of stationary zoos (including the Mykolaiv, Kyiv, Odesa, Yalta, Rivne and Kharkiv zoos), the animals are no longer starving”, Natalya Duletova, activist of Severodonetsk animal protection movement, said. "We are, however, concerned about the lion, which is not in the cage now. Oleg Zubkov, director of the Yalta zoo, is ready to save the lion immediately, but he is stifled by bureaucratic procedures that apply to the animal’s withdrawal from the owner”.

Mass media report that directors of Ukrainian zoos call upon competent ministries, including Culture and Tourism Ministry and Environment Protection Ministry, and General Prosecutor’s Office to inspect issues related to existence and conditions of mobile zoo shows.  

“We are outraged by response of the city and regional authorities. The first step the state officials should have taken was to immediately close the zoo and commence a legal action for breach of Ukrainian laws", Natalya Vyshnevska, NECU activist, commented. “Not only the mobile zoo’s owners, but also officials of Severodonetsk, Stakhaniv and Lugansk regional office who authorized the zoo, should be accountable for this crime".

“When we asked Vitaliy I. Morozov, head of city veterinary medicine office, to show us statements of animals’ examination or results of veterinary examination, he declined", Oleksandra Samorodova, activist of public initiative People for Animal Rights, said. "However, chief doctor of state veterinary hospital said that the lion’s condition was critical. Our visit on February 10 left no doubt that several animals were in extremely bad condition".

Oleg Adros, NECU, added: “Severodonetsk authorities will not be successful in hushing this case up. We will kick off a country-wide campaign for legal compliance and criminal prosecution. We are initiating mass appeals to Ukrainian state authorities, including from international animal protection organizations, to immediately close all mobile zoos in Ukraine”.

Examples of letters (in Ukrainian and Russian) people and organizations from Ukraine and other countries can send to Ukrainian state authorities can be seen here:

http://forumspaskiev.org.ua/databox/lugansk/MVD-UKR.doc
http://forumspaskiev.org.ua/databox/lugansk/Prokuroru-UKR.doc

http://forumspaskiev.org.ua/databox/lugansk/MVD-RUS.doc
http://forumspaskiev.org.ua/databox/lugansk/Prokuroru-RUS.doc
 

For more information:

Natalya Vyshnevska, National Ecological Centre of Ukraine (Kyiv), tel. 098 257-6176, nvishnevskaya@ukr.net,

Oleksandra Samorodova, public initiative People for Animal Rights (Donetsk), tel: 095 388-02-23, 4yvakin@gmail.com

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