Executive Summary

The Romanian Law on the Protection of Animals (2014) provides basic protections to animals from many forms of cruelty. As there is no definition of animal in the legislation, it can currently be applied to all animals in Romania. The Law recognises that animals feel pain and can suffer both physically and mentally. Romania has also ratified in their own legislation, many EU regulations providing additional and improved protections for animals. Similarly, Romania is one of 27 countries in the world to have banned the use of wild animals in circuses.

However, there are some limitations to the protections provided to animals under Romanian law. The ban on wild animals in circuses does not extend to dolphins, and there is limited supporting legislation to protect draught and farm animals, for example. Similarly, while all animals appear to be protected under the Law on the Protection of Animals (2014), reports suggest that government-run shelters for stray animals do not observe the law.  Some laws, introduced in order to align with EU standards in other categories, such as the ban on horse-drawn vehicles on public roads, have resulted in animal cruelty.

Animal welfare in Romania falls under the mandate of the National Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Authority, which is part of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forests and Rural Development.

Since the 2014 Animal Protection Index, Romania has made limited efforts to improve animal welfare through legislation, and some new legislation for example the proposed bill removing the quota for brown bear hunting has reduced protections. Similarly, laws regulating stray dogs have mandated culling.

The Government of Romania is strongly encouraged to recognise and promote the Five Freedoms for all animals. The Government of Romania is urged to produce detailed legislation specifying the conditions under which wild animals may be kept in captivity. Such regulations should include requirements with regards to housing, feeding, handling and husbandry and should promote the Five Freedoms of all individual animals. In particular, the Freedom to express normal patterns of behaviours should be respected. License to operate a facility keeping wild animals in captivity should be dependent on compliance with such legislation and regulations.  Further legal and policy recommendations are associated with each Animal Protection Index (API) indicator and contained in the relevant sections of this report.