Now a referendum is being initiated: after more and more Lower Austrians discover that bird traps or escaped animals are dying more and more often, a team of animal rights activists is pushing for a referendum. Motto: “EU law is being circumvented here. We need regulations that apply uniformly across the country – without exceptions, for example at the state level.”
Shocking discovery by a family in the Amstetten district: a cage with black crows was found in a forest. Because the wing feathers were ruthlessly cut off, they were decoys; one died at the animal shelter. Three magpies near Korneuburg must also have suffered a long ordeal: one of the birds had already died of thirst in the cage.
“Lower Austria is lagging behind in the field of animal protection”
Approved trapping facilities actually have to be checked daily, and the legal background is also difficult: although the birds are protected by the EU, the regulations are ignored in Austria. In this specific case, three federal states – in addition to Upper Austria and Carinthia, also Lower Austria – grant exemption rules for hunts of different lengths.
“The periods are the longest in Lower Austria,” explains bird expert Clemens Purtscher: “Here they continue into the breeding season.”
Due to the increasing number of “capture cases” – there are reportedly 64,000 carrion crows, 9,900 magpies and 6,700 jays in Austria each year – animal rights activists have launched a referendum for a nationwide standardization of hunting laws, including a ban on animal capture. Well-known animal researchers such as wolf expert Kurt Kotrschal support the initiative.
Information can be found at www.vgt.at
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.
