For weeks a Czech and a Slovak lived under the Ferlach Drau Bridge in Carinthia. They had their camp guarded by three dogs. Now the couple has been caught.
“There was trash everywhere, we found fishing rods, there were fish in the traps, some of them dead, and three mongrel dogs were tied to a bush, which got so entangled in the straps that they could barely move,” explains. Mountain rescue operations manager Peter Cech described the situation he found Monday evening under the Ferlacher Draubrücke.
Dogs barked for days
Colleagues from the Ferlach site discovered the illegal camp on the other bank of the Drau and informed Peter Cech of the responsible site of Keutschach. Cech: “The police were called immediately because of the suspicion of animal cruelty.” It turned out that passers-by had been hearing dogs barking for days. “Unfortunately, no one checked,” the mountain ranger said: “A fisherman who went to his fishing spot early in the morning confirmed that the dogs had been alone all day.”
The troops at first believed that they had encountered a beggar’s camp here. But a short time later, the residents appeared: a Czech (42) and a 35-year-old Slovak. “They stated that they work legally in Klagenfurt and do cleaning work,” the long-standing and experienced mountain guard told the “Krone”: “However, the information could not be checked by the local police.”
The follow-up inspection took place on Tuesday. “The two perpetrators were clearing the illegal camp and disposing of the waste. They were supported by a Carinthian. The local indicated that shelter would be found for the Czechs and the Slovaks, after which he took them back to work.”
Several ads are waiting
Still, the 42-year-old and the 35-year-old now have to factor in multiple ads. “You will be reported for vandalism and wild camping under the Carinthian Nature Conservation Act”, the mountain ranger explains the legal situation.
In addition, they risk a fine for illegal fishing. Cech: “It is incomprehensible to me that the duo is not charged with animal cruelty, even though the three dogs have been on a leash for hours – unsupervised – and one even ran away. And only because the animals were in good health.”
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.
