SAVE 15000 Project — A TRANSPLEX Initiative
They can be pets. Not pelts.
A practical transition model to reduce the unnecessary killing of chinchillas during Romania’s fur-farm phase-out
15,000 chinchillas are estimated to be at risk before 2027.
Current confirmed figure in Romania: approximately 4,613 chinchillas remaining in farms during the transition phase.
Core Proposition
Instead of continued killing for fur during the transition period, this project proposes a structured transfer route into responsible pet adoption.
The objective is simple: create a practical pathway in which preserving life becomes economically and operationally more realistic than liquidation.
For NGOs and Authorities
This is an operational model, not a shelter-based rescue request.
The proposed role of participating organizations is limited to coordination, verification, and on-site support.
No long-term custody and no large-scale temporary shelter infrastructure are assumed.
📊 Project Status Update (Latest)
- European Commission (via Europe Direct, reply no. #7755651): confirmed that no EU-level mechanism exists to prevent the killing of fur animals during the transition period
- European Commission (DG SANTE, Unit G3 – Animal Welfare): confirmed that responsibility is left to the Romanian national authority
- European Commission (DG SANTE, Unit G3 – Animal Welfare, formal complaint reply Ares(2026)5011901): stated that the Commission has no legal basis to intervene as long as Member States comply with existing EU rules, and that killing must be performed in accordance with Council Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009
- European Commission: declined further correspondence on this matter
- ANSVSA (Romania): contacted — response received (no operational safeguard identified)
- Humane World for Animals / HSI: currently under consideration
- International media: contacted (ongoing)
- White House: formally notified for international attention
- Embassy of Romania in Japan: acknowledged receipt and officially forwarded the SAVE 15000 petition, in accordance with OG 27/2002, to ANSVSA and the Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests for review
- Romanian national institutions: notified or formally contacted regarding the SAVE 15000 petition and the unresolved transition gap, including the Presidency of Romania, the Government of Romania / Prime Minister’s Office, and the Romanian Parliament.
- Major fashion and luxury brands/groups that have publicly supported or adopted fur-free policies: formally notified regarding the unresolved transition gap for Romania’s remaining chinchillas.
- Note: Listed entities have been contacted, notified, or identified for public-interest review. Inclusion does not imply endorsement, response, cooperation, or coverage.
⚠️ Latest European Commission Reply: No Immediate EU-Level Safeguard Identified
In a further formal reply from DG SANTE, Unit G3 – Animal Welfare, the European Commission stated that the EU currently has no mechanism to prevent the killing of fur animals during Romania’s transition period.
“The EU has no mechanism to prevent the killing of fur animals during the transition period.”
The Commission also stated that Member States establish their own conditions for implementing national bans on fur farming, and that the Commission has no legal basis to intervene as long as Member States comply with existing EU rules.
“There is therefore no violation of EU law, since no EU legislation exists on this matter.”
At the same time, the reply stated that any killing of animals must be performed in accordance with Council Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009 on the protection of animals at the time of killing.
Core Policy Contradiction
Council Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009 regulates how animals may be killed. It does not provide an ethical or policy justification for killing the remaining chinchillas of a fur industry that Romania has already decided to end on ethical grounds.
Romania has already moved toward ending fur farming on ethical grounds. If fur farming is being phased out because it is ethically unacceptable, the remaining chinchillas should not be treated merely as disposable production assets during the transition period.
The central issue is therefore not only whether killing can be performed under existing procedural rules, but whether avoidable killing should remain the default outcome when a practical non-lethal transition route may still be possible.
This is the implementation gap addressed by the SAVE 15000 Project: EU-level principles recognize animals as sentient beings, but no immediate EU-level operational safeguard has been identified to protect chinchillas currently at risk during Romania’s national transition away from fur farming.
The SAVE 15000 Project therefore calls for a practical national and local transition pathway: structured transfer from farms into responsible pet adoption, where feasible, instead of avoidable liquidation during the transition period.
Why This Matters
Structural Problem
Romania has already moved toward ending fur farming on ethical grounds.
Yet during the transition period, thousands of chinchillas may still be killed.
This creates a clear contradiction: if the practice is being phased out as unacceptable, continued killing during the interim remains an avoidable outcome.
Practical Alternative
Chinchillas already have established value as companion animals.
A structured rehoming route can preserve animal life while still offering farm operators a viable exit pathway.
The proposal is therefore not only ethical, but operationally realistic.
Operational Snapshot
- Flow: Adopter applies → visits participating farm → completes transfer on-site
- Economics: €220 from adopter → €200 to farmer → €20 for coordination and transfer management
- NGO role: Coordination, screening support, welfare guidance, event assistance
- Structure: No shelter requirement / no long-term inventory holding
- Authority role: Oversight, compliance, and alignment with applicable transition rules
This structure is designed to minimize friction.
The animal moves directly from farm to home, avoiding the cost, delay, and logistical burden of temporary mass sheltering.
How the Model Works
- Participating farms designate animals eligible for transfer
- Potential adopters register interest and receive basic care guidance in advance
- On-site transfer events are organized near or at the farms
- Adopters meet the animal directly and complete the transfer immediately
- Coordination support is provided without requiring permanent shelter intake
- Resale must be prohibited within the transfer framework
In practical terms, this is a direct transfer model.
It is intended to reduce killing during the transition phase by replacing liquidation with structured rehoming wherever feasible.
Animal Welfare Requirements
Any transfer model must clearly define minimum welfare conditions for responsible chinchilla care.
- Proper temperature control
- Proper humidity control
- Regular dust bath access
- A suitable cage environment
- Basic husbandry understanding before transfer
- Strict prohibition of resale
Why This Is Feasible
This model is designed to work with existing actors and minimal additional infrastructure.
It does not depend on building a large centralized shelter system.
It does not assume long-term animal custody by NGOs.
It is a coordination-based framework intended for immediate practical discussion.
- Reduces infrastructure burden
- Creates a non-lethal transition option
- Aligns with broader animal welfare objectives during phase-out
- Can serve as a replicable framework for similar transition cases
What We Are Asking For
- Recognition that continued killing during the transition period is avoidable
- Evaluation of a structured rescue-transfer model as a practical alternative
- Coordination among authorities, welfare organizations, and local implementing actors
- Public and institutional visibility for a non-lethal transition pathway
If a better outcome already exists, continuing the worse one is no longer neutral.
Contact
For coordination, institutional contact, or implementation discussions:
Public Supporters
Financial support is not required for SAVE15000 public supporter listing.
Individuals, organizations, and companies may be listed here by endorsing the purpose of SAVE15000.
To be listed as a public supporter, please contact SAVE15000 using the contact address above. Companies and organizations that wish to be listed with a logo are welcome to provide a suitable logo image and official website URL.
Organizations & Corporate Supporters
Individual Supporters
- Akihisa Yorozu, JP
Initiated by TRANSPLEX
A science-based project integrating music, research, and global initiatives.
This is not a general awareness slogan alone. It is a practical transition framework for immediate consideration.