Just before the border

Strike against puppy mafia: customs free 30 dogs

Sad animal suffering in transport boxes: these cute puppies were rescued from the trunk of a car with other puppies by local customs officers on the "South" near the border.

(Bild: BMF Krone KREATIV,)

Success for border officials in the fight against unscrupulous dog traders. A Slovakian was stopped shortly before Italy - 30 neglected puppies in the trunk, some of them from torturous breeding. The "Krone" also regularly uncovers cases of illegal trade. But this is just a drop in the ocean. 

While the "Krone" animal corner fights tirelessly and successfully against the heartless trade in young animals, local customs made a big catch on the southern highway just before the Italian border at the Arnoldstein traffic checkpoint: together with the police, 30 puppies, most of them in extremely poor health, were rescued from the trunk of a Slovakian car.

+1

Fotos

A grueling journey
The small dogs, including spaniels, Maltese and poodles as well as those from so-called torture breeds such as dwarf dachshunds and French bulldogs, were crammed into 12 transport boxes in the car. The suspect (46), who had the corresponding animal passports with him, stated that he had paid almost 6,000 euros for the animals and wanted to take them to Algeria via Barcelona.

Not old enough
However, a veterinary surgeon who was called in determined that the puppies were far too young for transportation due to their missing milk teeth. The cute pack of rascals were then confiscated and are now in quarantine.

+1

Fotos

Finance Minister Magnus Brunner thanks his officers: "Once again, it has been proven in a shocking way how important the work of customs is not only for the protection of us humans, but also for animals."

It's not just about protecting us humans, but also the animals. I would like to thank the employees of the Austrian Customs Office who do such important work in the fight against animal smugglers to prevent animal suffering.

Magnus Brunner, ÖVP Finanzminister

Bild: APA/ROLAND SCHLAGER

Baby dogs at a bargain price
The "Krone" animal corner also investigates in this direction and regularly uncovers cases of this kind. Just a few weeks ago, an illegal trade was uncovered in Lower Austria. The official vet who was called in and the investigators were presented with a sad picture: pleading whimpering, a bestial stench and a "breeder" who just shrugged his shoulders. In addition to poor husbandry, there were suspicions of worm infestation, eye infections and the spread of disease, probably due to faked rabies vaccinations.

The animals were far too young to be confiscated immediately. In the bright neon light of the cellar, everything suddenly appears different from what was promised in the advertisement on a sales platform. But it is difficult to put a stop to these machinations - the great demand for the latest fashion breeds determines the supply, and so dubious advertisements appear every day. It is a never-ending battle for the authorities.

Buyers could also be liable to prosecution. Ignorance does not protect!

Anyone who buys dogs from car trunks to save money, orders them from dubious online platforms or has them delivered from abroad is accepting unnecessary, severe suffering - and could soon be liable to prosecution thanks to a change in the law!

Instead, the Animal Welfare Ombudsperson's Office in Vienna advises buyers to follow the WAU method, the animal-friendly 3-step plan for a sensible dog purchase:

• Acquireknowledgeand obtain comprehensive information in advance
• Check what the animal shelter has tooffer, as many dogs - including pedigree dogs - are waiting there for their owners
• Obtainsupportin your search - the animal welfare ombudspersons and the providers of specialist courses are on hand with advice and information on the breed in question

You should also always ask to see the parent animals and their papers!

Animal suffering delivered to your home at the click of a mouse
There is a lack of staff for controls, and the masterminds are becoming increasingly brazen and aggressive - after all, there is a lot of money at stake. The "Krone" animal corner regularly reports on this and has already uncovered many of these sad cases. This educational work is an important key, because by now everyone should know what to look out for when planning to buy an animal:

"Our aim is to highlight the sad fate of the animals and raise awareness among the public that animal suffering is being produced here non-stop. Hands off dogs from dubious sources!", says Maggie Entenfellner

(Bild: krone.tv)

Thehead of the "Krone" animal corner, Maggie Entenfellner, also emphasizes in her commentary: "The buyer has a duty!
Some people still don't seem to be aware of what can be hidden behind supposedly inconspicuous advertisements on the Internet - or they simply don't want to know. But those who close their eyes to the sad reality and buy animals from dubious sources are partly to blame for the fact that dogs are being bred under catastrophic conditions in Eastern Europe and offered for sale on online portals.

The "Krone" is not standing idly by, and we will continue - despite many attempts at intimidation - to uncover these mafia structures and free animals. After all, there is a lot of money at stake for the masterminds, which they make off the backs of defenceless animals and take out of the pockets of naive buyers.

But the governing parties are also called upon and should step up the fight against the illegal puppy trade. In an upcoming amendment to the law, Animal Welfare Minister Rauch wants to criminalize not only the trade in such animals, but also their purchase. This is a long overdue step, because a rethink will only take place if the buyer is also punished and asked to pay. I wonder why the Chancellor's party has been standing on the brakes and delaying for so long.