Animal Rights Activists Report "Exploitation" of Piglets in Kyiv Coffee Shop: What Owners and Police Say
Kyiv • UNN
A coffee shop with piglets has opened in the Dniprovskyi district of Kyiv, sparking discussions about animal exploitation. The owners assure that they take care of the animals, but animal rights activists have filed a statement with the police.
In social networks, users have started spreading information about an establishment in the Dnipro district of Kyiv where small piglets are kept. User opinions are divided: some write angry comments about the exploitation of animals and cruel treatment of them, while others approve of the idea of opening a contact cafe.
UNN correspondent decided to find out the details of the situation.
Details
The owners of the cafe are Yulia and Denys Davydenko. When the full-scale war started, they left for France with their children and animals. However, later they decided to return to Ukraine and implement their business idea.
We had a cafe, but we decided to improve the business and chose a very interesting format from Japan. We wanted something positive, because we love animals very much, so we considered options for a cafe with cats, with rabbits, like abroad, and then we settled on piglets. We haven't had anything like this yet
At first, there was just a cafe with a clothing showroom on the site of the animal establishment, but the couple decided to reformat it. The idea brought popularity to the business.
People come to us from all over Ukraine. The day before yesterday, guys from Zaporizhzhia came to us. We have only been working with piglets for the second week
According to the couple, they gained popularity after being shared on TikTok and Telegram channels.
The most interesting thing is that everyone responds positively. They say it's cool, but the only thing is that the establishment is designed for 10 people, the premises need to be bigger. We have queues constantly on weekends and weekdays
The owner also emphasized that the paid area with animals was made on purpose to limit access to them, because the establishment does not position itself as a contact zoo.
It is still a space where young people can come, drink coffee, eat sweets, watch, spend time in an atmosphere where transplants, mini-pigs run around. That's why there is a paid entrance
Commentators on social networks were divided into two camps. For example, Olena Tserkovna called for attention to this cafe.
Everyone who supports the exploitation of animals should be ashamed. I watched video reviews and I don't see the possibility for pigs to hide from visitors, they are stupidly covered by children
Anastasia Khrypkova responded differently to the video of the establishment. "Wow, what a cutie. I'm coming," - said the woman in the comments.
Adel Dibrova also enjoyed the animals in the establishment.
Cool, what little ones, and it's so close to drive, it's great in general. 250 UAH is for admission, right? In addition to these little ones, do you have coffee and sweets?
User Yana Andrusenko asked under the same post:
When will people stop exploiting animals
The couple responded to comments regarding the alleged exploitation of animals
First of all, all seven piglets are registered with the episiologist of the Dnipro district, a state doctor. They have vaccinations and the necessary documents. These are the first piglets in Kyiv to be chipped, and now we are even making international documents so that they can leave the country with us in case the situation in the country worsens, like our dogs and cats
The man added that the animals are under veterinary supervision, and there will also be cooperation with a grooming salon that will take care of their condition. The establishment employs a zoo nanny who explains the rules of handling piglets to visitors, monitors their compliance, and also takes care of the animals, walking them outside and putting them in order.
We are forbidden to just run after a piglet there to pet it. We can communicate with piglets only when they make contact. If we see from the piglets that they want to rest, we apologize to our visitors and say that we are finishing the visit, these are living creatures, not toys, and they need to rest
In a comment to UNN, the head of the communications department of the Kyiv police, Dmytro Hryshchenko, said that animal rights activists had indeed appealed to law enforcement officers with a similar statement, and the necessary checks are currently underway.
There was an appeal, the statement was registered, the request was sent to the State Consumer Service
UNN continues to monitor the situation.
Let us remind you
A 39-year-old drunk resident of the Dnipro district of Kyiv grabbed a neighbor's dog, lifted it up and threw it from a height onto the asphalt, injuring the dog, despite the attempts of a cohabitant to stop him, he faces up to 8 years in prison for cruelty to animals.