Over 3000 people signed a petition against the crematorium for animals

Prague - Over 3000 people have signed a petition against the planned construction of an incinerator for dead animals in Prague's Zličín. The crematorium and scattering meadow for animals would be built near residential homes and a new playground. Representatives of the petition committee delivered the petition to the city hall today.
     A pet memorial park is to be established on a private plot of the company Benefit Development. "The company purposefully uses the name memorial park, but it only tries to obscure its true intention, which is to build a crematorium and an animal cemetery with up to 1200 tombstones," the petition states.
     According to opponents of the project, the crematorium produces emissions, including ash, that will contaminate the surrounding development. "The planned operation of the incinerator is 16 hours a day, incinerating more than two tons of dead animals in 24 hours," said Tereza Nedělková, one of the petition initiators, to ČTK today. "We have been warned by veterinarians that the smell during the cremation of animals is very unpleasant and despite all filters and other measures, it is not possible to prevent it from spreading to the surroundings," she added.
     Opposition to the plan also comes from the mayor of the Zličín district, Marta Koropecká. "It is a shocking and absurd project. The local administration is fundamentally against it," Koropecká told ČTK today. According to her, it is not possible to occupy another piece of greenery in the middle of new and old developments. "Imagine children playing on the grass in the playground and next to it, ashes from dead animals being scattered on the scattering meadow," Koropecká noted.
     The company that wants to operate the crematorium and cemetery for animals is currently finalizing the project documentation. "We plan to present the project to the general public, as required by law. We are not hiding anything. We just do not understand the public's hysteria," said Milada Vondrušová, a member of the board of Benefit Development, to ČTK today. She did not want to provide further information for now.
     According to opponents of the animal cemetery, the memorial site should be located elsewhere, preferably outside of Prague.
     According to the city hall, the crematorium for animals, along with the cemetery, is needed in Prague. "Prague is among the top places in Europe with the most pets. So there is definitely a need for such a facility here," said deputy mayor Ivan Kabický earlier in the media.