site.btaPoll Shows Broad Public Support for Animal Welfare Policies

A national survey conducted by Market LINKS research company less than a month before the April 19 elections shows widespread public support for animal welfare policies, the Invisible Animals Association (nevidimi.bg) said Thursday.

According to the poll among 1,006 adult respondents, 81% of Bulgarians agree MPs should have concern for animal welfare.

Support is consistent across all demographic groups - from Sofia (90%) to rural areas (76%), and across all levels of social status.

The data comes amid growing public attention to the issue in recent years. Public sensitivity toward animal protection reached a new peak in 2025, when tens of thousands of people took to the streets for weekly protests against animal cruelty in over 30 cities, following the case of two individuals getting arrested for torture and killing of animals on camera and selling the footage online.

The survey also shows that 82% of Bulgarians agree that the country should gradually phase out the practice of raising calves in cages, while providing assistance to farmers who need funds to transition to a more natural and humane way of raising livestock. A committee to the National Assembly supported the Invisible Animals Association demand for a legislative ban on calf cages after reviewing a petition with over 110,000 signatures in January.

The Association noted that starting this week, their website is listing the candidates for parliament who have made commitments on specific animal welfare issues.

The initiative is part of the "Give a voice!" national campaign which aims to make the electoral process informed and sustainable.