Cruelty-free breeding and co.

“Krone” success: Animal welfare package finally coming!

Many points will be better regulated in the new law. This is also thanks to the efforts of the "Krone" animal corner!

(Bild: Happy monkey - stock.adobe.com)

Minister Johannes Rauch provided clarity at a press conference on Saturday. Long overdue points in the law will now be implemented after all and should ensure improvements in the areas of torture breeding, puppy trading and bite training. 

After tough negotiations including massive delaying tactics by the ÖVP, the coalition has finally agreed on new rules for the protection of our animals and is thus also meeting the demands of the "Krone" and its readers.

A big step forward
The amendment to the Animal Welfare Act is due to be reviewed next week - a success for the alliance of several animal welfare organizations (Vier Pfoten, TOW, VGT, Freunde der Tiercke, Pfotenhilfe, Tierschutz Austria and many more), which have campaigned intensively and persistently for improvements in recent months.

Eva Persy, Maggie Entenfellner, Josef Hechenberger, Faika El-Nagashi and Eva Rosenberg at the round table in the "Krone" (from left to right)

(Bild: Katharina Lattermann)

For a while, it looked as if there would be a standstill or even a step backwards. But now Animal Welfare Minister Rauch (Greens) spoke clear words at a press conference at TierQuarTier in Vienna on Saturday, and his revised amendment to the Animal Welfare Act is set to come into force later this year.

Only allow healthy animals for breeding
The new law should also finally put an end to torturous breeding. Animals bred in this way often struggle with serious health problems such as respiratory distress or broken joints.

I am delighted that we have achieved a milestone here. This pet package sets new animal welfare standards throughout Europe.

Faika El-Nagashi, Tierschutzsprecherin der Grünen

Certain breeds on the brink of extinction?
"A commission set up specifically for this purpose will define the breeding characteristics according to strict scientific standards," says Rauch. This committee will also review the breeding programs of associations and may even herald the end of breeds with serious health problems, such as the Cavallier King Charles or the Pug.

Silent suffering 
The fight against the illegal puppy trade will also continue. In future, not only the trade in such animals but also their purchase will be punishable by law. "Making the consumer responsible here too will have a big impact," Krone animal corner boss Maggie Entenfellner is certain.

On the Internet, in parking lots - the illegal trade in puppies is out of control. In future, buyers will also be punished.

(Bild: zVg)

Breeders have a duty
Another milestone is the extension of the licensing requirement for breeders - until now, an informal notification to the authorities was enough to allow people to go ahead and breed. From the second dog and third cat litter onwards, this no longer runs uncontrolled as a "hobby", but must be approved.

Chipped - and registered too?
It is also pleasing that the pet database is being expanded. In future, vets will also be obliged to enter the dog in the register when the chip is inserted and to ensure that the dog's origin is identified accordingly: the name of the breeder and the chip numbers of the parents must appear. In the case of dogs from animal welfare organizations, the organization must be entered.

Proof of expertise
Before acquiring a dog, there is a mandatory four-hour certificate of competence for dog owners in all federal states, which must also be entered in the database. In addition, a practical session of two hours must be completed within the first year. So there is a lot to do, the hurdles for bad business are getting higher, a small step for more animal welfare has been achieved!

The highly controversial bite training is now much more strictly regulated.

(Bild: Milan - stock.adobe.com)

Stricter rules for guard dogs!
There are also massive restrictions and requirements for private protection dog sport. It was clear to all animal rights activists that either the controversial bite and attack training would be completely banned or there would have to be comprehensive reforms in this sensitive area.

After all, "protection-trained" dogs are comparable to carrying a weapon. In future, anyone wishing to start this type of training with their animal will therefore have to provide proof of an impeccable reputation in advance and undergo a licensing test.

Johannes Rauch has successfully campaigned for animal welfare.

(Bild: ©Dorfegger/BMSGPK)

Character test and examinations
But the examiners, dog trainers and "protection helpers" must now also be tested and certified by an independent scientific body. The dog itself must be at least twelve months old and pass a temperament test before training begins - if it fails, it remains banned for life.

A comprehensive health check by independent experts is also required in advance to certify the dog's physical suitability for this stressful training. The exact content of character tests and examinations will be drawn up by leading dog experts such as Karl Weissenbacher from the VetMed University.

Federal Chancellor: "Strict, but comprehensible"
Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer also praised the new package: "It is good that there are now strict but practical rules for training. It was important to me that we take into account the service dogs of the army and police and at the same time create strict but comprehensible rules for those who want to train protection dogs. Nobody wants trained dogs to fall into the wrong hands. Together with my team, I have worked hard to ensure that we finally create a regulation here and I am pleased that we have succeeded."

A thorn in the side of many
However, the fact that animal welfare is finally being placed at the center of attention and work is being carried out in an animal welfare-qualified manner will be a thorn in the side of the advocates of the "old traditions". It remains incomprehensible why the representatives of the associations concerned - above all the ÖKV - did not come up with the idea of introducing these improvements on their own.

Instead, these interest groups have engaged in vociferous and insinuating verbal battles and waited too long for something to happen. This debate has shown the true face of dog sport, which has so far put its own ambition above animal welfare.