An accused winemaker from Bregenz is said to have installed unsuitable bird protection nets in his vineyard. The animals died under extremely painful conditions, activists from the association against animal factories criticized and reported the 49-year-old. He must now answer to the court for animal cruelty.
The 49-year-old winemaker admitted on Tuesday during the hearing at the regional court in Feldkirch that birds occasionally got caught in the nets. However, the man from Bregenz strongly rejected the accusation that he had used unsuitable bird protection nets and had not installed them correctly.
The Feldkirch Public Prosecutor’s Office accuses the winemaker of animal abuse. As a result, numerous birds died in the nets between September and October 2021 and between September and October 2023. The suspect has thereby caused unnecessary suffering to the birds.
The winemaker has not yet admitted his guilt. His lawyer Florin Reiterer called for his acquittal.
A complaint by members of the “Association against Animal Factories” (VGT) to the responsible district administration of Bregenz got the ball rolling. The animal rights activists found birds trapped and dead in the vineyard on the Bregenzer Brachsenweg, which was covered with nets and was over three hectares in size. The animals included falcons and various songbirds such as starlings and robins.
The district government ordered an inspection of the vineyard. The result: eight dead and three live birds, all of which were entangled in the nets.
Further reports needed
During the trial, the defendant emphasized that he had even consulted the manufacturer about the suitability of the bird nets. This was confirmed to him. In order to guarantee a professional installation, the defendant had previously completed an internship with a winemaker from the German Lake Constance region. The trial was postponed on Tuesday to hear more witnesses and obtain an expert opinion.
Source: Krone
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