More than 70 NGOs are organizing a protest in Bucharest for animal rights

More than 70 non-governmental organizations and participants from several cities across the country will protest in Bucharest on October 4, International Animal Day, to draw attention to the situation of animals and the way authorities are managing this issue.

The protest is organized by the Together for Animals Federation and will begin at 2:00 p.m. in front of the Bucharest National Theatre. At 3:00 p.m., participants will march toward Victory Square, where the demonstration is scheduled to continue until around 7:30–8:00 p.m., in front of the Romanian Government headquarters.

The organizers say that Romania is among the last countries in Europe in terms of managing stray dogs and criticize the lack of specific legislation for cats, the exploitation of horses, and the improper conditions in which some animals are kept. The federation says the state continues to allocate funds for euthanasia without a national sterilization program, and that more than 200,000 dogs have been euthanized in recent years.

People from Iași, Timișoara, Constanța, Satu Mare, Târgu Jiu, Târgu Mureș, Suceava, and other localities are expected to attend the protest. The demonstrators’ message is that although animals cannot speak, they must have people to represent them and defend their rights.