The administrative court of the state of Upper Austria recently heard an animal exotic case. There, the temporary owner of an allegedly surprisingly “too roasted” tapir defended himself against a fine from the BH Vöcklabruck, which had forced him to pay 1200 euros.
The reason for the punishment: he kept the mammal, which otherwise lives in tropical forests, at home and in violation of animal protection regulations. He did not deny that at all, but it was only a few days of quasi “recovery leave” for the exhausted animal, which had been transferred from a Romanian zoo to a Czech one. The transport to Austria took place “in principle without his intervention”.
A third of the fine forgiven
Nevertheless, the administrative judge dismissed the man’s complaint against the fine because he had in any case violated animal welfare provisions: “Apart from the fact that tapirs are generally not allowed to be kept outside zoos or scientific institutions, they are in accordance with the legal provisions must be kept in pairs or small groups and access to an outdoor area (200m²/pair) must be guaranteed,” the lawyers said.
A vet’s involvement in feeding the tapir doesn’t change that. After all, the court waived a third of the fine for the tapir keeper “appropriate to the crime and guilt”, 800 euros is still owed.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
