03/27/13 Giving Animals as Prizes in a Raffle

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Dear Sirs,

Prompted by information published on your web page, regarding giving a live rabbit as a prize in a raffle, we hereby inform you that the Animal Protection Act prohibits this.

Namely, in Article 4, paragraph 2, item 6, the Act prohibits "to give live animals as prizes in raffles," and prescribes a punitive measure in Article 67: "A company shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine from HRK 30.000,00 to HRK 50.000,00 for: 1. giving animals as prizes in raffles (Article 4, paragraph 2, item 6)."

Even though the raffle promises a rabbit as a prize (to an underage person!), it says nothing about the origin or health of the animal. What farm are the rabbits from, do the providers have the licence for breeding and selling pets (also prescribed in the Animal Protection Act)? Are the animals adequately cared for, in appropriate housing, have they been checked by a veterinary doctor and have they been vaccinated against infectious and other diseases, according to the rules and regulations of the veterinary profession?

By organizing a raffle where you give live animals as prizes and by giving underage children rabbits, you violate the current Animal Protection Act, and condemn parents to taking care of animals that they might not want/are not able to care for.

Animals, in the end, are not things to be given as prizes, they are live creatures. Please think about this also from an ethical point of view: what kind of message you are sending to the young, by giving a conscious, live, emotional being as a prize?

Kind regards,

Lidija Eterovic


The response dated March 28, 2013 from Roses Designer Outlet Centre marketing to our request:

Dear Ms Eterovic,

We thank you for your letter and appreciate your concern for the welfare of animals.

Please allow us to convince you that animal welfare is also in our interest, and all the actions related to our Easter bunnies were never to their detriment. Namely:

  1. We organized a creative competition for the most beautiful Easter egg and a game (more like a sports competition) for the children, and not a raffle.
  2. Children that took part in the above mentioned competition, were coming to Roses with their parents, who entered them into the competition fully aware that the prize is a rabbit. What is more, parents brought their children here with the desire to see their child win a rabbit and to return to their homes with a new pet.
  3. Rabbits did not come from unchecked sources, they were bought through an agency that organized an event in the Pet Centre inZagreb (if you need further details about the store, we will certainly send them to you). The rabbits were kept in the Pet Centre up until the event, they were transported to Roses in adequate housing, and during the event they were placed in nicely prepared roomy area with fence and hay, with adequate food and of course, water.
  4. The parents were made aware of where the rabbits were purchased from and what their obligations are, the same way as if they purchased them themselves from the Pet Centre. (They received a piece of paper with instructions on how to treat the rabbit and what they are allowed to eat. Also they received a large bag of rabbit food.) This means that the only difference is that the families received a new member as a prize of organized competition in Roses, and they didn't purchase them themselves.

Considering the enthusiasm and eagerness that parents displayed in the games (which in certain moments exceeded the eagerness of the children) we believe that the rabbits were truly wanted and that they will be well cared for.

Also we want to mention that we will certainly try to keep your comments in mind when organizing future events.

Best regards,

Suzana Kapustic-Gotal
(Marketing - Roses Designer Outlet)

Sv Kriz Zacretje
Tel: +385/49/227 811
Fax: +385/49/227 055

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