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Interior Minister Marcel Vela announced on Tuesday at the Interior Ministry (MAI) having put up for public debate a draft emergency ordinance strengthening animal protection measures, according to which the Police will be able to issue an order placing an assaulted, injured or abused animal in a shelter.
According to Vela, the draft is designed to protect endangered animals by establishing a mechanism that will allow Police to issue an order to place the assaulted, injured or abused animal in a shelter.
"Also, under the draft ordinance we establish the obligation of the county councils and of the General Council of Bucharest City to provide continuously and permanently public animal shelter services, either by organising their own shelters or by concluding contracts with zoos, animal lovers or other entities," said Vela.
He added that the animals may be placed in temporary custody with non-governmental organisations that prove they meet housing and care conditions in order to be offered for adoption, and the order to place the animal in a shelter can be challenged by holders in accordance with the law of administrative litigation.
"According to the draft, there is established the right of police officers to enter the field, the domicile or residence of any natural person without their consent, as well as in the headquarters of any legal person without the consent of its legal representative, if the information available to the police indicates animals are in danger. The actions of the Police can be photographed or recorded without the consent of the owners of the animal in question," the minister said.
Vela also announced that the law on the organisation and operation of the Romanian Police will be amended to set up a mechanism for assigning police positions in police departments of with personnel specialising in veterinary medicine within the National Sanitary Veterinary Authority or from an external source.
"Considering all these novelties brought by the piece of legislation, we have established that the public animal shelter services should be up and running 60 days of the date of publication in the Official Journal and for a period of 180 days. The Interior Ministry, the Romanian Police and the National Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Authority can carry out information activities for the public," added Vela.
AGERPRES .
