Stop Rampant Animal Cruelty and Abuse in Birthplace of Domestication

Target: Dr. Rewaz Faiq Hussein, Speaker of the Kurdish Parliament

Goal: Adopt standard of animal rights and clear sanctions against animal cruelty.

In the region where sheep and goats were first domesticated, a sick streak of animal cruelty has continued, and perpetrators typically emerge unscathed. Reports and viral videos of poisoned stray dogs, unchecked dog-fighting, chickens crammed into tiny cages, and goats brutally stomped represent just a few of the cruelties allegedly perpetrated with no criminal penalty in Kurdistan. This independent offshoot of Iraq has no animal welfare laws on the books, but that unfortunate reality could soon change.

For over a decade, a veterinarian who escaped the rule of Saddam Hussein has fought for the establishment of a Kurdish animal rights bill. If enacted, the legislation would formally safeguard animals from fear, distress, inadequate care and shelter, pain and suffering, and other states of being that typically define animal cruelty in a legal sense. A welfare council would be largely responsible for overseeing these standards, implementing penalties for violations, and imposing strict regulations on zoos, breeders, and other individuals or groups responsible for the care of animals. Common abuses like dog-fighting, slaughterhouse atrocities, and inhumane hunting practices would also be targeted.

After years of inaction, this important initiative finally has a path forward with actual political supporters and with a planned debate and vote upcoming. Sign the petition below to support a framework that could improve or even save the lives of countless at-risk animals.

PETITION LETTER:

Dear Dr. Hussein,

Sulaiman Tameer, veterinarian and leader of Kurdistan’s premier animal welfare organization, has spent over ten years trying to make his labor of love—a comprehensive animal rights bill—a reality. Supportive ministers have helped evolve this ambition from a fading dream to a promising possibility. You may wonder why this legislation should matter to you.

For one, you can likely agree that Kurdistan’s agricultural sector is in serious need of reform due to lagging performance. Healthy domesticated animals will only increase the health of this sector. Most importantly, the lack of regard and respect for all living beings runs counter to Islam and reflects badly upon the region as a whole. Images of severed animal heads, government-sanctioned poisonings, and hateful cruelty imposed upon animals ranging from dogs to goats are a disgrace and an affront to basic human compassion and decency.

Please help this freedom-minded region liberate its most vulnerable and at-risk inhabitants from the chains of oppression and inhumanity. Give your backing to the animal welfare bill when it comes to a vote.

Sincerely,

[Your Name Here]

Photo Credit: Villager Boy