Enpa, the italian association for the protection of animals, has launched an appeal to the danish Minister of Environment and Food, Esben Lunde Larsen, begging him to save the life of the dog named Iceberg, an Argentinian Dogo, held in a facility where it should be killed in the next days. According to the danish dogs legislation, Iceberg belongs to one of the thirteen forbidden breeds and therefore it is not allowed to stay in the country.
His owner, Giuseppe, a young italian man working in a restaurant in Copenhagen, is astonished and in anguish, also becasue he could have never exptected to find himself in such a painful situation when he decided to bring his beloved Iceberg to Denamrk. In fact, when he embarked Iceberg on a plane in Fiumicino Airport (Roma) on one raised any objetion nor informed him about the danish breed legislation. Neither did the danish custom authorities in Copenhagen’s airport. After underoing the routine custom controls foreseen for pets, Iceberg, whose passport and veterinary documents were in order, was allowed to enter the country. Even then no one gave Giuseppe any information about the breeds regarded as dangerous in Denmark.
For one month Giuseppe and Iceberg lively happily, forming one family and making it true the dream of a better life in a country known all over Europe for its civilization and its tolerance. Then, all of a sudden something unexpected happend: a quarrel, in a park, between Iceberg and another dog. Nothing too serious, is was just one of those canine “incomprehensions” that happen quite often and that end without any other consequence than a noisy bark. Unfortunately, a person, while trying to stop that quarrel, got hurt having a 3 millimitres scratch on the hand, as reported by the police. Another person who saw that small dogfight complained to the police, saying that Iceberg looked like one of those breeds forbidden in Denmark.
A few days later policemen went to Giuseppe’s house and seized the dog. And this was the first time Giuseppe knew about the danish rules concerning dog breeds. On that day Iceberg was brought to a kennel and on that day started Giuseppe’s legal battle with the support of Fair Dog, a danish association committed to dog protection, and – in Italy – of Enpa.
Giuseppe is now aware of danish legislation and wants to comply with it. This is why he wants to bring Iceberg back to Italy. This is why Enpa wrote to Danish Minister of Environment and Food, Esben Lunde Larsen; to the italian ambassador in Denmark and to the danish ambassador in Italy begging to release Iceberg. «Please, give Iceberg a chance, let us take it back to its home, in Southern Italy», says Enpa.
