The Aims and Constitution of FECTU

FECTU was established on the 1st November 2003 in Luxembourg by seven draught animal organisations representing different European countries, who drew up this manifesto:

The Association aims to encourage cooperation between those European organisations involved in the promotion and advancement of the working heavy horse (and other draught animals), to collectively represent those organisations and to promote and look after their common interests without compromising the autonomy or special interests of any member organisation. The Association will also participate in the preservation of the common European draught animal heritage, and in the promotion of both working and leisure use of these animals, paying particular attention to sound working practices with regard to animals and the humans involved, and the environment. The Association supports any initiatives undertaken by member societies which seek to encourage and make better use of draught animals and which ensure high standards of welfare for those animals.

 How does FECTU work?

FECTU serves as a clearing house for information, questions, proposals, ideas, offers of help and so on which the affiliated organisations wish to make known to other member associations.

At the same time, FECTU is working to get recognition of its aims and the means of achieving them, its rights and its recommendations so that they come to the notice of appropriate politicians, administrative bodies, institutions, relevant organisations and above all, the general public. FECTU will make evident its own authoritative competence in the field of animal traction, and that of its membership, whenever and wherever the right opportunity arises.

FECTU’s function, enshrined in its constitution, is both to respond to and make generally available all the sources of information, requests, developments and trends which could be of importance to its membership.