In the midst of Europe’s serene beauty, a harrowing truth lurks: in Croatia, beneath the guise of “tradition,” horses endure unimaginable suffering.
Imagine these majestic creatures trembling in the shadows of dark barns as they suffer relentless brutality. Chained and terrorized, they are mercilessly beaten, their spirits broken under the cruel guise of “training” for barbaric log-pulling competitions known as straparijada.
Horses have bonded with and helped humans for thousands of years. Now, they need us! Please be generous today. Show your support, and we will help them!
This relentless torment, a grotesque spectacle for human amusement and gambling profits, must be stopped immediately. Here is how your donations will be used.
If we can raise $18,500 (£14,500), we can fully support an ongoing public campaign to end this sport, led by Croatian animal welfare activists, who play a critical role in our efforts to ban this cruel practice once and for all. Our partners at Animal Friends Croatia have a strong track record in successfully campaigning to end cruel animal abuse and neglect legally – and are committed to forcing through a complete ban on these horse competitions within a year – but they need our help to do this.
The funds will enable them to influence government policy, undertake targeted lobbying, amend animal welfare laws, and create a massive media campaign exposing the shocking abuse behind the sport to locals and tourists upon whom the Croatian economy relies.
Without this urgent funding — previously provided by the Croatian government but now unavailable due to grant restrictions — they cannot fight for the animals who rely on us.
The plight of these horses is unimaginable, their physical and psychological scars deep and lasting. We urge you to open your hearts and donate generously to Network for Animals. Together, we can bring relief and hope to these horses in dire need. Your support is their lifeline.
This outdated tradition, rooted in the bygone days of the logging industry, once saw horses strain under the weight of heavy logs — which is why this competition exists. But those days are behind us. Today, we stand enlightened, armed with the knowledge and technology, such as tractors, that render such harsh practices obsolete.
There is no longer any justification for this kind of abuse. It’s time to embrace a more compassionate approach and leave outdated methods in the past where they belong.
