10/01/2005 
Austria’s Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act: suitable as a compromise with pig keepers - A comment by Georg Mayringer, VÖS Manager
Over many years, Austria discussed about establishing standard rules for the protection of animals to be valid all over Austria. At the turn of the year, such rules have now been agreed about to be realized.
Ever since the 1996 petition for a referendum regarding the protection of animals had been brought in, the issue had been dealt with in Austria. Ever and ever again, trouble had thus been caused in politics and in the media. During the discussions, honest farmers had often been portrayed as criminals being cruel to animals. Many a progress that had been made in the field of agricultural livestock husbandry over the past years was denied. On the other hand, not much notice was taken of the deplorable state prevailing in many homes regarding pets.
So we might consider it to be a milestone at least that within the draft law that was presented recently rules have been made regarding not only pigs and cattle but also dogs, cats or canaries.
After all the hard fighting, no-one had really expected a
With regard to pig keeping, issues as important as
After a while, various interest groups finally understood that
It is of particular importance that – after many years of uncertainty about law amendments – Austria’s pig keepers are now given planning reliability again and thus a basis for future investments.
Ever since the 1996 petition for a referendum regarding the protection of animals had been brought in, the issue had been dealt with in Austria. Ever and ever again, trouble had thus been caused in politics and in the media. During the discussions, honest farmers had often been portrayed as criminals being cruel to animals. Many a progress that had been made in the field of agricultural livestock husbandry over the past years was denied. On the other hand, not much notice was taken of the deplorable state prevailing in many homes regarding pets.
So we might consider it to be a milestone at least that within the draft law that was presented recently rules have been made regarding not only pigs and cattle but also dogs, cats or canaries.
Animal protection is an indivisible thing – those rules are quite reasonable ones
After all the hard fighting, no-one had really expected a
four-parties agreementand the unanimous accepting of the draft law. But from this, one may see that the rules agreed about now are quite suitable as a compromise for all parties.
With regard to pig keeping, issues as important as
keeping the pigs on fully perforated flooror the
reasonable offer of surfacecould be agreed upon.
After a while, various interest groups finally understood that
exaggeratedly standing outfrom rules as prevailing on the free European market would, at long last, cause the
endof Austria’s pig keeping industry. But with the rules which are about to come into force soon, a basis should have been created for sustainable and economic pig keeping in Austria, even if they slightly exceed EU pig keeping guidelines in some parts.
It is of particular importance that – after many years of uncertainty about law amendments – Austria’s pig keepers are now given planning reliability again and thus a basis for future investments.
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