276 reports on abuses: “Not buying an animal is often the best way to protect animals”

“There is a greater awareness of the issue among the population, but current negative examples show that animal protection must be further advanced,” said State Councilor for Animal Welfare Michael Lindner (SP) at today’s press conference.

One of these negative examples is a recent case in Eidenberg, where a farmer is said to have killed six fawns while mowing.

• Read more: 6 fawns killed: complaint filed against Mühlviertel farmer
• More on the background with OÖNplus: Six fawns killed: horror and incomprehension are great

“The Animal Welfare Act protects all animals. Measures must be taken to protect them and there is an obligation to help animals,” says Animal Welfare Ombudsman Cornelia Rouhda-Mülleder, who has held this position as a trained veterinarian since 2018.

Questions about dogs and cats

The Animal Welfare Ombudsman’s Office is one of the first points of contact for all questions relating to animal welfare and has been enshrined in law in all federal states since 2005. Last year, 649 inquiries were answered in Upper Austria, the majority of which concerned dogs (29 percent) and cats (26 percent), with 135 of these questions being about breeding and cruel breeding. The general keeping of dogs was discussed 100 times, and the Dog Owners Act 33 times.

In third place are general animal welfare issues with 15 percent. Another 10 percent of inquiries were about farm animals. “Many people do not know which types of animals are allowed in our country and which are not,” says Rouhda-Mülleder.

Reported abuses

As an intermediary between citizens and authorities, the animal protection ombudsman is also responsible for dealing with reports of abuses. Many citizens turn to the ombudsman with information about possible violations of the animal protection law if they do not want to go directly to the authorities. “Some people want to prevent a neighborhood dispute,” says Rouhda-Mülleder. The number of reports has risen steadily in recent years.

While there were 164 direct and indirect reports in 2019, 276 possible grievances were reported in 2023. “In a quarter of cases, no deficiencies could be found, but in the rest, animal suffering was uncovered and stopped,” says the veterinarian.

Activity in criminal proceedings

Last year, 453 administrative penal proceedings were initiated under the Animal Welfare Act, in which Rouhda-Mülleder was involved in her function. Dogs were also the most affected species in this area. In 161 cases, issues such as a lack of identification and registration or deficiencies in husbandry – for example, the prohibited tethering – were addressed.

The second most common cases involved cattle that, for example, had insufficiently littered, dry lying areas and the stables were extremely dirty. “Dirtiness in animals is not a cosmetic defect,” says the animal welfare ombudsman. It is considered animal cruelty because animals have a need to clean themselves and eczema can develop under the dirt.

Ban on keeping animals

195 of the administrative penal proceedings concerned sections 5 to 7 of the law, which prohibit cruelty to animals, the killing of animals and interventions on animals. This number has also increased significantly, with 118 proceedings in 2022 and 104 in the previous year.

The most severe sanction that the authority can impose is a ban on keeping animals. Eleven proceedings were initiated in 2023. In nine cases, a ban on keeping animals was ultimately imposed, seven of which are permanent. In one case, it is limited to 20 years, and in another to ten years.

Five further bans were threatened.

Cruel breeding

One key issue is the cruel breeding of animals that can be predicted to cause pain, suffering or damage to the animal. This type of breeding is prohibited in Austria. Short-nosed dog breeds such as the French bulldog or pug are well known and, according to the expert, constantly suffer from shortness of breath due to their shortened airways. Folded-eared cats, whose typical ear shape is the result of cartilage damage, have this damage throughout their body and should therefore not be bred.

But it’s not just the visible suffering, you also have to look out for “invisible” hereditary diseases, says Rouhda-Mülleder. “Animal owners have to become responsible and make sure that only healthy animals are bred.” Often the best way to protect animals is “not to buy an animal,” says the vet.

Training of owners

Since the amendment to the Dog Owners Act, more attention has been paid to the training of (future) pet owners. In cooperation with the State Council for Animal Protection and the association “Tierschutz macht Schule”, of which Rouhda-Mülleder is co-founder and chairwoman of the scientific advisory board, even the youngest members of society are being trained in animal protection and species-appropriate care. “Children can be a good corrective in families,” says Lindner.