Stop the Cruelty to horses in Portugal

Dear Secretary of State for Tourism We are writing to urge you to take action in order to resolve the issue of the appalling treatment of horses in your country. We have seen animals suffering in the heat, tied up without food or water, skeletal, hobbled.   There is no government action to prosecute the perpetrators of the abuse. Some are gypsies and some are native Portuguese people. There is no excuse for allowing either to get away with it. It appears that nothing is done remove the animals from their situation. Even destroying the animals would be preferential to allowing them to die such slow and painful deaths. We understand that people need the horses to survive but we also understand that without education, the situation will become worse. Poverty cannot be used as justification to the brutal treatment to animals in your country. We urge you to work in order to bring dignity and respect for horses in your country. As tourists and potential tourists, we've chosen to send this letter to tell you that we won't spend our money in your country while it doesn't work in order to change its policies about animals. Susan Clark had a previous petition that attracted around 2,800 signatures and this one already has 2,200. That’s a lot less tourists who will visit your country and the word will spread as time goes on. You are a member of the EEC not a Third World Country The Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union recognises animals as “sentient beings” and requires the EU and its Member States, when formulating and implementing their policies in certain key areas, to pay “full regard to the welfare requirements of animals”.
I look forward hearing from you with details of the action you intend to take

Susan Clark (and signers of the petition)