We, ‘Animalia’, an Animal Protection Association from Ohrid, supported by all Animal Protection Associations from Macedonia ('Anima Mundi' from Skopje, 'EDEN' from Skopje, 'Animals' voice' from Veles, 'Animal world' from Struga, 'Vtora sansa' from Kocani, 'Mali heroi' from Bitola, 'Fauna' from Kumanovo, 'Spasi zivot' from Stip) start this petition in the name of all animals, but first and foremost in the name of humanity and the basic human decency when it comes to the way man treats animals!

Many visitors, among them underage children, alarmed us about the incident which they had witnessed. Namely, at today’s Carnival in the village of Vevcani several young, obviously intoxicated men in their twenties, had been parading holding a stick with a dead dog’s body tied to it. According to locals, the dead dog had been abandoned by its owners and had been fed as a stray by the local animal lovers. The men that used the dog as part of their ‘mask’ were constantly bashing the dog’s dead body with sticks while parading. But it had not been only them, the dog’s dead body was bashed by many, also intoxicated, insensitive people present at the Carnival that passed by this ‘mask’. At the time of the parade the dog was already dead, but the witnesses are not sure whether the death occurred during this barbaric act or the dog had been killed before for the sole purpose of this Carnival ‘mask’. At the end, the masked men threw the dog’s lifeless body in the fire! Also, witnesses confirmed that live chickens had been stabbed on pitchforks during the parade and so killed in front of the visitors. One dog was blindfolded and so dragged by its leash amidst the loud drunken crowd in apparent stress and obvious terror.

The Vevčani Carnival, which is part of a centuries-long tradition, is the oldest, most respected and most visited carnival in Macedonia. According to Vevčani officials the Carnival has 20,000 visitors each year. And yet it is a manifestation which promotes violence, death, and ridiculing of animals, reducing them to objects by heartlessly abusing them. What is more not only many of the participants and the organizers themselves, Mr. Ilija Popeski – President of the ‘Gorna Maala’ Vasilica Association, but also the Mayor of Vevčani, Mr. Cvetomir Ugrinoski, call animal torture and murder ‘part of the pagan rituals’ and they approve of it.

As an Animal Protection Association, and as moral, sensitive human beings, we are utterly appalled by this morbid act. We are demanding that relevant institutions act in accordance with Article 233 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Macedonia where the torture and killing of animals is punished not only with a fine, but also by 6 months of prison; as well as Article 4 paragraph (6) and (7), Article 65 paragraph (2) in conjunction with paragraph (1) item 30, and Article 67 paragraph (2) in conjunction with paragraph (1) item 1 of the Macedonian Law on Animal Protection and Welfare.

We cannot imagine the trauma and the pain that these animals were put through. These events were traumatizing to the visitors of this carnival as well, particularly to the children. What is the purpose of this Carnival, and what is the message they wanted to pass on? Is this the tradition that they are cherishing? How can ridiculing a helpless animal death be considered an act of cultural valor? Is this humane? Should this event be called cultural, and sponsored and promoted by the Government of the Republic of Macedonia and its Ministry of Culture? We suggest that psychologists seriously examine the mental structure of these people involved in this animal killing for mere exhibitionism, for it has been proved that those capable of torturing animals easily resort to violent behavior towards people.

We demand that authorities investigate this case thoroughly. We demand they bring the perpetrators to justice and punish them accordingly. Below this text there are links to the pictures and videos from the Carnival clearly showing the barbaric behavior of its participants.

Note: We have information that there was a BBC crew on site, so we would like to appeal to the humanity and honor of those reporters and invite them to step forward and share what they captured on video.

Photos:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.307771869433493.1073741866.124081697802512&type=1

http://www.shilomagazine.com.au/mk/makedonija/%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%BA%D0%BE-%D1%81%D0%B5-%D0%B8%D0%B7%D0%BC%D0%B0%D1%87%D1%83%D0%B2%D0%B0%D0%B0%D0%B0

Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfqK6BDeT2o&feature=youtu.be



