It makes your animal heart bleed: a total of eleven puppies and 13 kittens were freed from smugglers by Austrian customs officials in March. Days later, nine puppies were also rescued from a vehicle in Nickelsdorf. The good news: saving the animals saved them from further suffering.
“These cases show in a frightening way how important the work of local customs officials is, not only to protect us humans, but also for animals,” said Finance Minister Brunner proudly.
Pups should have come to Germany
Officials were stunned when they checked the passports of two dogs in March while inspecting a bus bound for Germany via Austria. Upon closer inspection, these did not match one pup or the other. The driver then stated that he had loaded the dogs on behalf of an acquaintance in Turkey to take them to Dortmund.
Animals were handed over to the border vet
Due to the forged pet passports and invalid data, the planned round-the-world trip for the driver and the four-legged friends was canceled – the animals were handed over to a border vet. In addition, a deposit of 2,000 euros was collected from AGES for expected storage costs.
Eight-week-old kittens found in van
But that’s not all: on the same day, police officers discovered large quantities of veterinary drugs in a transport vehicle. Upon closer inspection, 13 baby cats were discovered. The velvet paws were only about eight weeks old. In this case too, the animals were handed over to the border vet and 5,000 euros were secured for the expected storage costs.
Unfortunately, the suffering of some four-legged friends did not end in March: just a few days later, nine puppies were rescued from a vehicle in Nickelsdorf. These animals would also have had their final destination in Germany. Fortunately, officials here too were able to quickly identify the counterfeit pet passports and prevent the animals from continuing their journey. The dogs were first transferred to an animal shelter and then to AGES for quarantine. In this case, too, security was provided for expected custody costs of 9,000 euros.
“In all cases, the perpetrators are now threatened with further severe punishment, also under the Animal Transport Act,” said the federal finance ministry.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
