The Austrians and their pets. We let our favorites cost us hundreds of millions of dollars. Black sheep among the animal owners are now being punished with high-tech methods.
No, it’s not good luck climbing dog ruins! It is unsanitary and smells. Nevertheless, a minority of dog owners in Austria still fail to properly dispose of their pets’ dog poop and the majority of men and women in the Alpine Republic are discredited. As a reminder, the dog’s cluck belongs in a bag and in a trash can!
South Tyrol breaks new ground
The Italian flagship region of South Tyrol is also aware of the problem, but is embarking on a new path: Commissioner DNA is joining forces with our southern neighbors against cheating sinners! DNA samples are taken from the leftover legacies and evaluated in a laboratory. The results can be sequentially assigned to microchipped pets and the dog owners are then asked to pay.
Juicy fines up to 70 euros
In Germany, too, more and more voices are calling to tackle the dog poo plague with DNA traces and hefty fines of up to 70 euros. “Simply because it does justice to the polluter pays principle,” said Stefan Szirucsek, the mayor of Baden (Lower Austria), in an interview with “Krone”.
The mayor from Lower Austria thinks the South Tyrolean model is ideal for the entire country. Szirucsek continues: “We wrote to the minister about the cause last year. The Ministry of Environment is responsible for this and received our decision from our city council in June last year. We have not had any feedback yet, but we will check it before summer.”
Josef Hechenberger, chairman of the Chamber of Agriculture, is also a thorn in the side of the dog feces problem in Tyrol: “It is not only annoying and unappetizing in pastures and alpine pastures, but also dangerous for cows because of the pathogens that step into the feed.” Hechenberger has already “discussed” the South Tyrolean model with colleagues.
Many dog owners who properly dispose of their pet’s feces shake their heads in surprise at these suggestions.
2 million cats, more than 800,000 dogs in the country
Because Austrians love their pets (see image below). Velvet paws in first place: according to statistics, every second of the more than 4 million private households have a cat. Followed by about 800,000 dogs. But we also like the exotic: about 125,000 reptiles wander and crawl around the house. And for animal lovers, Mr and Mrs Austrians also dig deep into the wallet in times of rising prices: last year, for example, the costs for dog owners averaged more than 100 euros.
Of the pets, the colorful tune-making budgerigars were the cheapest. All in all, the cheerful poultry costs seven euros.
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.
