MAGAZINE PROTECT OUR PETS STOP FUR FARMING INTERVIEW INSIDE THE PARLIAMENT ACHIEVEMENTS. Issue 01 January 2016

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1 Issue 01 January 2016 MAGAZINE INTERVIEW INSIDE THE PARLIAMENT PROTECT OUR PETS Campaign mobilising support across Europe to stop illegal pet trading STOP FUR FARMING Eurogroup for Animals and Fur Free Alliance act together to stop fur farming now ACHIEVEMENTS More than 30 years of lobbying for animal welfare

2 5 PROTECT OUR PETS A campaign that mobilises support accross Europe to stop illegal pet trading 7 RENATE SOMMER German Christian Democrat Euro Parliamentarian Renate Sommer has been a tireless champion for animal welfare CONTENTS 3 EDITORIAL 4 CAMPAIGN Protect our Pets 6 INTERVIEW Renate Sommer 8 ANIMAL NEWS What happened during the last 3 months 13 STOP FUR FARMING Eurogroup for Animals and Fur Free Alliance act together to stop fur farming now Eurogroup for Animals Magazine is the quaterly magazine of Eurogroup for Animals Editor in Chief: The Eurogroup for Animals team Design: Magali Vialle & BakOS DESIGN All copyrights on pictures belong to Eurogroup for Animals or are free of rights. 10 JOINING FORCES Fur Free EU project 14 MAKING A DIFFERENCE Follow our work for animal welfare 17 LOOKING BACK Achievements from the 80s 18 OUR MEMBERS In the spotlight 19 SUPPORT US Contact and social media

3 EDITORIAL Welcome to this very first edition of the brand new Eurogroup for Animals Magazine. We plan to make it a regular feature and to use it to showcase initiatives, celebrate successes and highlight our future plans. You are receiving this magazine because animals matter to you but also because we believe that together, we can create a Europe where animals matter to all. As the Director, I am proud to represent our 49 members. As I travel around our network I have the opportunity to witness first-hand some of the great work that they are undertaking. Animal welfare is not a stand-alone issue it is closely linked to human wellbeing, the environment and the economy. That is why we attach high value to our relationships with partners and stakeholders. EUROGROUP FOR ANIMALS IS UNIQUE Building on a 30 year track record of success, it continues to be the only Pan-European organisation advocating for welfare improvements benefitting all animals. With most legislation and policy impacting animals positively and negatively in Europe emerging from the EU, we believe joining forces between all animal friends is more important than ever to deliver lasting change. With our Brussels central hub, we act as a facilitator between Europe and its capitals and are able to unite friends and allies for success. We are a strong and effective community and always eager to bring others on board and create synergies to the benefit of animals. If you are inspired by some of the stories you read here, do get in touch and see how you can get involved. I am confident you will find the magazine varied, informative and engaging. It is packed with stories illustrating our work which will help you to get to know us and our issues better while motivating you to help as you can. CHANGE IS AT YOUR DOORSTEP! We believe joining forces between all animal friends is more important than ever to deliver lasting change. Reineke Hameleers JAN

4 CAMPAIGN PROTECT OUR PETS TAKE ACTION > > #PROTECTOURPETS A CAMPAIGN THAT MOBILISES SUPPORT ACROSS EUROPE This autumn, we kicked off a major animal welfare campaign to tackle Europe s growing underground and illegal pet trade. Designed to make the invisible visible, the Protect our Pets campaign engages citizens right across Europe via multimedia tools and social network channels. Check out our dedicated website and dynamic video encouraging the general public to use their voice and call for pets to be properly identified and registered, and therefore linked to an owner. This illegal trade poses serious threats, not only to the health and welfare of the animals being trafficked, but to the health & welfare of other animals and the public across Europe. Many are born in inhumane circumstances, are socialised poorly, and are transported great distances, too often at the risk of disease. Unsuspecting owners buy these pets, often online, and are regularly left heartbroken when things go wrong. PROTECT OUR PETS CAMPAIGN A SUCCESS Protect Our Pets is the first ever pan-european campaign to stop the illegal trafficking of pet animals, and has been undertaken with the political support of Renate Sommer. The campaign aims to stop the illegal trade of pets within the EU by mitigating the ambiguity that exists over that most opaque part of the pet passport the age of the given animal. Many Member States already have identification and registration requirements for cats and dogs, but the requirements, information that is held, and how it is recorded differs not only from country to county, but from region to region. By harmonising these standards, pets would be able to be traced cross border effectively, and each breeder and owner would know that they have the same responsibility to identify and register their animals, wherever they live. In short, it would close the loophole in the Pet Travel Scheme that allows pets to be traded illegally, via non commercial means, for purely commercial purposes. 4 EUROGROUP FOR ANIMALS MAGAZINE

5 Europe s illegal pet trade continues to grow, with large scale falsification of pet passports and the evasion of controls. Animals are suffering and many are exposed to disease and inhumane conditions. We are determined to close the loopholes that allow this trade to flourish by demanding proper identification and registration systems and requirements right across the EU. Joseph Moran, Project Leader Companion Animals It is really simple to get involved. Visitors to the Protect our Pets website are invited to send a letter in a couple of clicks of a mouse to their Euro-Parliamentarian to demand action now. A system for the identification and registration of equines will soon exist across Europe. Now, we want the Commission to apply this system to pets. As Euro Parliamentarians are there to represent you, they are best placed to ask the Commission to act. We therefore decided to mobilse citizens who demand action at EU level. We did this using smart technology on our campaign website allowing citizens to send a standardised letter to their own Euro-Parliamentarians. People were also encouraged to write to Europe s Animal Health Commissioner, Andris Andriukaitis, and ask him to take action. MEP meeting in Strasbourg Tuesday 8 September So far over 350,000 s have been sent to MEPs since September asking them to back the Motion that has led to a Resolution and formally call upon the Commission to harmonise these systems, using new powers under the Animal Health Law. Renate Sommer MEP, who has drafted this Resolution, in close cooperation with Eurogroup for Animals is confident that the Council will back her calls for similar systems during the Dutch Presidency of the Council. JAN

6 INTERVIEW RENATE SOMMER German Christian Democrat Euro Parliamentarian, Renate Sommer has been a tireless champion for animal welfare. We sat down with her recently to talk about what drives her work in this area. YOU ARE WORKING ON A DRAFT PARLIAMENTARY RESOLUTION ON COMPANION ANIMALS. WHY DO YOU BELIEVE THIS TOPIC IS SO IMPORTANT? Studies show that the legislation currently in place is not sufficient. The illegal trade, especially of puppies, continues and has even increased. They are now considered to be the third most illegally traded commodity within the EU after drugs and arms. This is not only an economic problem, but the trade has ethical, social and public health effects. In light of our animal welfare standards in the EU, we cannot accept the suffering of puppies bred under unacceptable conditions. The clients who fall for the illegal traders often then have to watch their newly-loved family member die from a disease caused by lack of vaccination or horrible breeding conditions. Furthermore, pet animals carry over 100 diseases that are transmissable to animals and humans and hence pose a risk to public health. All of these facts show that illegal pet trade is an issue that should not be neglected. CAN YOU SUMMARISE WHAT YOUR DRAFT RESOLUTION WILL CONTAIN? The Motion isn t ready yet but its centrepiece will be the call for a mandatory EU-wide system of identification and registration for pets. The only way to stop the illegal trade would be mandatory, national systems of identification and registration. While most Member States already have such systems in place, they hold differing information, are regulated by varying levels of government, and some are voluntary. With the scale of movement in pets we are now witnessing through the Union, national databases on their own are rendered irrelevant. Only harmonisation of both the information and the registration requirement, will ensure that these databases continue to be of value. Such a requirement would mitigate the possibility of fraud for existing pet passports, by providing a degree of security over the age of the animal. This one move would immediately close the legal loophole through which traffickers are operating. YOU ARE A MEMBER OF THE ANIMAL WELFARE INTERGROUP, WHAT ARE YOUR KEY AREAS OF FOCUS AT THE MOMENT? As Rapporteur on Cloning Proposal, I am working on a ban of animal cloning in the EU and a ban on the import of products from cloned animals and their descendants. As Rapporteur on the Regulation on Food Information to Consumers I also follow the debate on possible voluntary labels on animal welfare standards in the production of food products. In this context, I am also quite interested in the ongoing studies on ritual slaughter in the EU. As the planned motion for a resolution suggests, I am also interested in the illegal trade of pet animals. Furthermore, I follow issues such as animal transport in particular with regards to the export of live EU cattle and sheep to the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey and the treatment of stray dogs in certain EU countries. EUROGROUP FOR ANIMALS HAS BEEN VERY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR SUPPORT. COULD YOU EXPLAIN A LITTLE MORE ABOUT YOUR WORK WITH EUROGROUP FOR ANIMALS AND WHY IT IS DEAR TO YOUR HEART? I have had pets throughout my life and I am an agricultural scientist. Therefore animal welfare issues are important to me. Due to my academic and professional background I am acquainted with breeding, rearing and slaughter of farm animals. So when I was asked to become one of the Vice- Presidents of the Animal Welfare Intergroup, I felt that my background could make a valuable contribution to the work of the group. Puppies are now considered to be the third most illegally traded commodity within the EU after drugs and arms. 6 EUROGROUP FOR ANIMALS MAGAZINE

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8 ANIMAL NEWS IN EUROPE #Act4Equines EQUINE CONFERENCE REPORT OCTOBER 2015 #Act4LabAnimals EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT COMMITS TO BAN THE CLONING OF ANIMALS FOR FOOD PRODUCTION #Act4Wildlife GREAT NEWS AS FRANCE STOPS IMPORT OF TROPHIES FROM LION HUNTS The European Parliament showed its continued support for a ban on the cloning of animals for food production during a vote in its plenary session in Strasbourg. Eurogroup for Animals has been calling for the EU to consider the animal welfare implications, as well as ethical and consumer concerns on the cloning of animals. We welcome this decision which confirms the European Parliament s commitment to banning this technique in Europe. Eurogroup for Animals welcomes the news from its member Fondation Brigitte Bardot that the French Government will no longer allow the import of trophies from lion hunting into France. This comes after a concerted campaign by the Fondation Brigitte Bardot and a letter sent by its President Ms Brigitte Bardot following the recent death of Cecil the lion. 21 October 2015 was a landmark day for equine welfare in Europe, with the first EU level conference on the welfare of horses, donkeys and mules. The conference, which was hosted by the Euro-Parliamentarian Julie Girling along with Eurogroup for Animals and the European Horse Network, built on the conclusions of the groundbreaking report Removing the Blinkers: The health and welfare of European equidae in 2015, which was published in June. GREAT NEWS FROM SWITZERLAND #Act4AnimalsEU EUROGROUP FOR ANIMALS WELCOMES THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT S RESOLUTION ON A NEW EU ANIMAL WELFARE STRATEGY ( ) The European Parliament adopted a Resolution calling on the European Commission to formulate a new Animal Welfare Strategy for An overwhelming majority, 542 out of 751 supported the proposition. The Resolution asks for the current EU acquis affecting animal welfare to be updated and consolidated, ensuring that it pays full regard to the sentience of animals. Eurogroup believes that an animal welfare strategy is needed as the present one will expire at the end of this year, despite the fact that 10 of the 20 action points are still outstanding. GVFI International, the largest Swiss importer of horsemeat, has announced that they will stop all horsemeat imports from overseas before the end of the year. This happened in response to Tierschutzbund Zurich campaign against inhuman slaughter conditions of horses in the Americas. 8 EUROGROUP FOR ANIMALS MAGAZINE

9 #Act4Wildlife THE NETHERLANDS INTRODUCES A BAN ON WILD ANIMALS IN CIRCUSES #Act4FarmAnimals UNDERCOVER FOOTAGE REVEALS IMMENSE ANIMAL SUFFERING AT FRENCH ABATTOIR Eurogroup for Animals celebrates the official coming into force of the ban to use wild animal species in circuses in the Netherlands. The decision to introduce a ban was taken by the Ducth Government in August 2015, and was supported by the Ministry of Economic Affairs in The Hague. EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT VOTES TO BAN GLUE TRAPS IN EUROPE On October 13, the French animal welfare charity, L214, member of Eurogroup for Animals, released undercover footage of the horrible slaughter practices at the abattoir of Alès, a city in the Languedoc-Roussillon in southern France. As a result of L214 s action, the abattoir was closed down for an official investigation by the local authorities. BULLFIGHTING: NO MORE EU SUBSIDIES, SAY EURO-PARLIAMENTARIANS The European Parliament voted a motion for a resolution on the ban of the sale of glue traps. Glue traps are sold without restrictions and are meant to catch rodents. However, they often kill cats, dogs and birds, who endure days of suffering before finally dying of starvation, dehydration and selfmutilation. On October 28, 438 out of 687 the Euro-Parliamentarians voted in favour of an amendement to the 2016 budget which stated that Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) funds should not be used for the financing of lethal bullfighting activites. Such activities constitute a clear violation of the European Directive on the Protection of Animals kept for Faming Purposes. #Act4LabAnimals STOP VIVISECTION ECI Janusz Wojciechowski (ECR/PL), president of the European Parliament s Intergroup for Animal Welfare and Conservation, spoke about the negative reaction by the Commission to the signatures of more than one million EU citizens, who want to stop vivisection. Eurogroup for Animals is very disappointed that there is not even a minimal commitment to funding alternatives under programmes like Horizon 2020 in the Commission s Communication. JAN

10 Due to animal welfare and animal ethics, fur farming bans are becoming more and more widespread in Europe. An additional number of European countries have phased out fur farming or have adopted stricter regulations that caused fur farms to close down. 10 EUROGROUP FOR ANIMALS MAGAZINE

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12 JOINING FORCES FOR A FUR FREE EUROPE Many countries across Europe have already banned fur production including Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia, Slovenia and the UK and Northern Ireland, while the Netherlands and regions of Belgium are in the process of doing so. These countries are respecting scientific research and EU legislation and formal recommendations, as well as the views of the majority of European citizens....traditional Eurogroup for Animals has joined forces with the international coalition Fur Free Alliance to exert pressure on Governments across Europe to take leadership in animal welfare and ban fur farming. Over the past six months we have co-signed letters to ministries in Finland, Poland, Norway and Sweden demanding action. fox farming (may) no longer exist. That is an example of how the animals interests and needs take precedence over the industry s needs even when that can cause an entire industry to disappear. Margareta Winberg, Minister for Agriculture, , Sweden PRESSURE IN POLAND In a letter to newly elected Polish President, Andrzej Duda, as well as demanding an end to fur farming we also urged the inclusion of the American mink and raccoon dog on the list of invasive alien species. Problems with escapes of American mink into the wild are especially acute in Western Poland and recent research from Instytut Badań Rynkowych i Społecznych, Homo Homini in conjunction with our member, Otwarte Klatki, shows 55% of Poles support a ban on the breeding of foxes, raccoon dogs and minks for fur, with support rising to 70% among the age group. To date both the Polish and Finnish fur industries have ignored recommendations by the European Commission s Scientific Committee on Animal Health and Animal Welfare -particularly in the housing of animals kept for fur production. 12 EUROGROUP FOR ANIMALS MAGAZINE

13 SUPPORT A FUR FREE EUROPE SWEDISH CITIZENS REJECT FUR FARMING While Sweden has already taken important steps to close down fox and chinchilla farms and Denmark has banned fox farming, we urged the Rural Affairs Minister to also listen to the majority of Swedish citizens who, according to a recent poll commissioned by animal rights organization Djurens Rätt, think the breeding of mink for fur in cages should not be allowed. A cross party poll within the Swedish Parliament also revealed an 80% support level for a ban on fur farms. NORWEGIANS SAY NO A documentary on the Norwegian fur industry filmed with hidden cameras sparked a major public debate when it was aired earlier this year and we seized the opportunity and sent a joint letter to the Agriculture and Food minister urging a ban or phase-out of fur farming. In a country usually known for its high standards of animal welfare, a 2014 poll by Eurogroup for Animals member Infact/ Dyrevernalliansen revealed that 68 % of Norwegians believe fur farming is wrong. FUR FARM FREE FINLAND Eurogroup for Animals took action earlier this year in Finland together with our local member Animalia. Together we handed letters calling for a fur farm ban to members of the Finnish parliament. We are building up international pressure and we handed the Finnish Parliament an international petition signed by more than 200,000 citizens from over 100 countries. JAN

14 ANIMAL WELFARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE Follow our work to improve Animal Welfare in Europe 14 EUROGROUP FOR ANIMALS MAGAZINE

15 Lina CHRISTENSEN, Programme Manager EQUINES NEED BETTER PROTECTION SAYS GROUND-BREAKING REPORT Horses, donkeys and mules are probably the most versatile of all animals. They fulfil roles as leisure and companion animals; working animals in tourism, forestry, agriculture and food production; as well as animals used for therapy and training and elite athletes in sports. All too often they fall between the cracks of laws designed for either farm animals or companion animals. For animals with such diverse roles, which often change several times during their lifetime and which are traded and transport more than most other species, this is not satisfactory. The groundbreaking report, Removing the Blinkers: The health and welfare of European equidae in 2015 was published jointly by Eurogroup for Animals and World Horse Welfare on 11th June during the European Parliament Intergroup for Animal Welfare and Conservation in Strasbourg. The report is the first publication ever attempting to map out the state of play of the EU equidae population. A population that contributes with more than 100 billion euros in the EU economy. The report will serve as an important conversation opener with stakeholders and regulators. Working with World Horse Welfare, we are pushing for the European Commission to come forward with better protection for equidae including a proper impact assessment. The Commission s Equine Steering Committee has already identified five areas for further exploration: (i) Identification and registration, (ii) Welfare at transport, (iii) Welfare at slaughter, (iv) Responsible ownership and (v) Rural development. NEW EU ACTION PLAN ON ILLEGAL WILDLIFE TRADE CONFIRMED FOR MARCH 2016 Ilaria DI SILVESTRE, Project Leader Wildlife Eurogroup for Animals welcomes the Commission s announcement that the DG Environment will publish a new Action Plan on Illegal Wildlife Trade in March Wildlife trafficking is not a new phenomenon, but its scale, nature and impacts have changed considerably in recent years. Poaching has reached unprecedented levels for some species, and the world is currently facing a dramatic surge in wildlife trafficking. Given the serious nature of wildlife trafficking, the Commission should be urged to ensure that the EU Action Plan Against Wildlife Trafficking provides for a robust and comprehensive response containing defined deliverables, timescales and reporting requirements. As part of a coalition of international NGOs that provide support to Euro-Parliamentarians for Wildlife group, we are working alongside our members in taking part in the Commission consultation process on the preparation of the Action Plan. We believe that the Action Plan should identify measures that can be taken by the EU both internally, and internationally, including: Ensuring that the measures are in place to tackle organised crime, including inter-agency cooperation, anti-money-laundering measures, and involvement of local authorities, Providing guidance and assistance to Member States in creating national action plans and providing training to enforcement and judiciary agencies; Supervising the legal trade to ensure that animals or products are not being laundered through fraudulent use of captive bred codes; Supporting anti-poaching initiatives in source countries; Protecting and assisting live animals in illegal trade though improved identification and reporting. The development and implementation of an Action Plan is an urgent priority, given the role EU Member States play as source, transit points and major destinations for many wildlife products in illegal trade, and the influential role the EU and its Member States have at an international level. The Euro-Parliamentarian Julie Girling is shortly to present an own Initiative Report on responsible equine ownership and care which will also represent an important opportunity on the road to protecting the health and welfare of these animals and as well as their contribution to the European economy. JAN

16 OUR EFFORTS ARE REWARDED AS AN INFORMAL AGREEMENT ON NEW EU ANIMAL HEALTH LAW IS ANNOUNCED Elena NALON, Project Leader - Farm Animals OUR FOCUS TO ENSURE HIGHER WELFARE FOR ANIMALS USED IN SCIENCE AND RESEARCH Kirsty REID, Project Leader LabAnimals We are delighted with the agreement on the proposed Animal Health Law. It is the result of a sustained advocacy effort by Eurogroup for Animals and its partners over the past two years. The new law will create one clear framework for animal health following half a century of distinct laws. The law is of paramount importance to animals across the EU including pets, farm animals and wild animals and is the first piece of legislation to establish a link between animal welfare and animal health. Thanks to Eurogroup for Animals, the law will require all pet breeders and sellers to be registered, further paving the way for improved transparency and regulation at national level. In particular, the new law creates knowledge and training requirements for those who handle animals, and will ensure that disease control measures take animal welfare into account, sparing animals any avoidable pain, distress or suffering. Stakeholder consultation requirements in the context of contingency planning will allow animal welfare organisations including ourselves to support the best possible outcomes for animals. The Directive 2010/63/EU on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes was finally adopted into the law of all 28 Member States in However, if the rules laid out are not implemented and enforced, its adoption by the EU will bring little improvement to animal welfare. At Eurogroup for Animals, we believe we also have a role to play in the implementation and enforcement and to do this we are looking at how the Directive is being rolled out across the EU Member States. We recently carried out a survey of all Member States on the set up of their National Committees, as required under Directive Article 49. Their roles are to advise on aspects of the Directive and exchange information. With responses received from all Member States we were able to compile a document on the status of each National Committee and now with this document disseminated to the Member States we have had feedback that it has already been useful in establishing contact and sharing advice across the EU. Eurogroup for Animals has taken this involvement one step further and we are now carrying out a further survey where we will produce a report on implementation and enforcement in relation to the evaluation of projects which require the use of animals; the inspections carried out on breeder, supplier and user establishments and; on what strategies have been set up within establishments that breed non-human primates. Information gained will be used to feed into the Commission review process of the Directive which starts at the beginning of 2016 and to feed into a multi-stakeholder project we plan to establish to help in the sharing of best practices and bring improved animal welfare to Member States where it is lacking. With the motto prevention is better that cure, the new Animal Health Law prioritises prevention of disease outbreaks by means of surveillance, disease control and research. This will reduce the incidence of animal disease and minimize the impact of outbreaks when they occur. The concept of prevention also applies to the use of antimicrobials in livestock farming, which should be reduced to limit the occurrence of antimicrobial resistence. 16 EUROGROUP FOR ANIMALS MAGAZINE

17 LOOKING BACK ACHIEVEMENTS FROM THE 80s OVER THE COURSE OF 30 YEARS, EUROGROUP FOR ANIMALS HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN OBTAINING AND IMPROVING EU LEGISLATION IN THE AREA OF ANIMAL WELFARE. HERE ARE A FEW HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SUCCESSES RESULTING FROM OUR FIRST DECADE OF ADVOCACY RSPCA launches Eurogroup for Animal Welfare in an effort to vastly improve the protection of animals via European legislation Eurogroup sets up the European Parliament Intergroup on the Welfare and Conservation of Animals to support and advice Members of the European Parliament wishing to address their animal welfare concerns. To this day, Eurogroup still provides the secretariat of the Intergroup. The EU agrees on a ban on the import of skins from harp and hooded seal pups Eurogroup for Animals members gather for their first ever Annual General Meeting. 1980s The European Community passes the first legislation for the protection of animals used for scientific purposes, Directive 86/609 The Euro-Parliamentarian Gianfranco Amendola presents the first parliamentary own-initiative report on animal welfare JAN

18 OUR MEMBERS IN THE SPOTLIGHT Eurogroup for Animals draws its strength from its 49 European members that work tirelessly to improve animal welfare in Europe and worldwide. Here are some examples of their recent campaigns. JOIN US 18 EUROGROUP FOR ANIMALS MAGAZINE

19 SUPPORT US EUROGROUP FOR ANIMALS IS A STRONG VOICE FOR ANIMALS IN EUROPE. OUR STRENGTH COMES FROM OUR MEMBERS, FRIENDS AND PARTNERS WITH WHOM WE RELENTLESSLY ADVOCATE TO IMPROVE THE WELFARE OF THE MILLIONS OF ANIMALS LIVING BY OUR SIDES. But this is an uphill battle. This is why we constantly strive to attract new supporters to join our movement and why we also need your help. Animal suffering is a reality, but there is an alternative. So come and join your forces to ours to fight for a better future for all animals. There are many ways to help: visit our website, sign our latest petition, follow us on social media, share our posts or contact us to become a member or make a donation. CONTACT: Sophie De Jonckheere Senior Partnerships Manager s.dejonckheere@eurogroupforanimals.org JAN

20 Rue des Patriotes, Brussels, Belgium Tel: +32 (0) info@eurogroupforanimals.org