Romanian entrepreneur Stefan Mandachi, who recently sold his fast-food franchise Spartan, is calling animal lovers to join a peaceful protest this Sunday, May 21, for the rights of animals and against animal cruelty and abuse. The protest is scheduled to start at 15:00.

At the same time, Mandachi is calling state institutions for a law against keeping dogs chained in Romanian households.

The entrepreneur, who became internationally famous after building 1 meter of highway to protest the lack of highways in Romania's north-eastern region, decided to demand action once again after finding a dog dumped alive at a landfill.

"A few days ago, I found a dog dumped at a landfill near Pascani. […] It's tough for me to describe the state she was in. The vets who treated her were also shocked, they had never encountered such an atrocity. She is 8-10 years old, chipped, so the owner must be the one who abandoned her there, most likely because she is old and no longer useful to him. I named her Corason. The doctors suggest euthanasia, but I still hope she can be saved," Stefan Mandachi said.

He also shared the dog's story in a video here.

"I will protest for Corason and all the tortured and abandoned animals. Sunday, May 21, at 15:00. I call all animal lovers to join me, to go out with the dogs, civilized, legal and peaceful on the street. Or in front of the Government, Prefecture, etc. Write on a cardboard or a piece of paper, "Justice for Corason" or "I am Corason". If you don't have time, post a photo on social media and write #DreptatePentruCorason or put a Facebook frame," Mandachi also said.

Stefan Mandachi is a supporter of animal rights, getting involved in numerous actions to protect their rights and save them. Last year, he financed the sterilization of over 5,000 dogs and cats in Suceava county. In 2020, he sued the Romanian state for not solving the problem of animals being tortured, and won the case. However, in reality, nothing has changed, the entrepreneur says, despite an Animal Police being set up in the country in 2021.

Mandachi asked the national authorities, embassies and even the Patriarchate for support to protect and respect the rights of animals in Romania.

After selling all HoReCa operations, including the company that owns the Spartan franchise, Mandachi also decided to invest exclusively in online education tools. As part of this plan, he will launch a new e-learning platform, mentorMag, with an investment of EUR 1.8 million.

In parallel, he also opened a cultural hub in the village of Cumparatura, in northern Romania's Suceava county. It is a pilot part of an educational project focused on reading, and it is set inside a container that includes a library, a reading room, a room for painting, and an area for musical instruments.

Moreover, Mandachi is also involved in building water wells for children in Africa.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Stefan Mandachi)