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The International Cat Federation is the latest organization to takea stand against Russiaamidst the country’s invasion of Ukraine.
The federation — which is also known as FIFé after its French name, Fédération Internationale Féline — issued a statement this week announcing that it wouldbar cats bred in from Russia and felines belonging to exhibitors living in Russia fromfuture competitions.
In its statement, FIFé shared that it decided on the Russian cat ban because the federation could not “just witness these atrocities and do nothing.”
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FIFé was first formed in 1949 and hosts over 700 shows each year, where more than 200,000 cats are exhibited, according to itswebsite.
Under the organization’s new rules, which are in effect until May, “No cat bred in Russia may be imported and registered in any FIFé pedigree book outside Russia,” and “No cat belonging to exhibitors living in Russia may be entered at any FIFé show outside Russia.”
Along with establishing new restrictions, FIFé plans to use some of its funds to assist Ukrainian cat breeders and fanciers, the federation shared.
“Our Ukrainian fellow feline fanciers are desperately trying to take care of their cats and other animals in these trying circumstances,” FIFé wrote.
FIFe’s new rules come as Russia’sattack on Ukrainecontinues after their forces launched a large-scale invasion on Feb. 24 — the first major land conflict in Europe in decades.
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With NATO forces massing in the region around Ukraine, various countries have also pledged aid or military support to the resistance. Ukraine PresidentVolodymyr Zelenskyycalled for peace talks — so far unsuccessful — while urging his country to fight back.
Putin insists Ukraine has historic ties to Russia, and he is acting in the best security interests of his country. Zelenskyy vowed not to bend.
“Nobody is going to break us, we’re strong, we’re Ukrainians,“he told the European Unionin a speech in the early days of the fighting, adding, “Life will win over death. And light will win over darkness.”
source: people.com
