Deadline expires

Mattersburg: Fears continue for the ostrich farm

The officially ordered evacuation of the ostrich farm near Mattersburg should be completed today, Monday.(Bild: Reinhard Judt)

The operator must vacate his ranch by order. The deadline expires on Monday. But not all the animals are in a new place yet.

We reacted with great dismay to the announced eviction of the ostrich farm. We will definitely help where we can." Organizations such as the Austrian Animal Welfare Association, the initiators of the Ostrich Land in Kamptal (Lower Austria) and other supporters, some of them private, had offered active support when the "end" for the remote 4.5-hectare animal ranch on the outskirts of Mattersburg was announced at the beginning of July. 

Chances of a peaceful solution are good
As reported, the city's building authority and the nature conservation authority of the district administration had issued an order that the entire animal population must be captured and removed or killed in accordance with the Animal Welfare Act. The deadline officially expires today.

Documents missing
According to the municipality, the ostrich farm contravenes the provisions of the Building Act and the Spatial Planning and Nature Conservation Acts. "We have tried to find a satisfactory solution and promised to support the operator. Unfortunately, however, the lack of absolutely necessary documents meant that approval was ultimately not possible," said the town hall in Mattersburg. The operator, in turn, had spoken of a "serious communication problem".

Animals already partly placed
Many animals, such as the donkey "Moritz" - six years old - and the four-year-old "Mila", who had worked a lot with children and disabled people, had already been rescued before the official end. The two younger conspecifics "Max" and "Lilly" have now also found a good place with an organic farmer in Lower Austria. The most difficult part was the removal of the ostrich families, which could not take place on time. On Sunday evening, the operator signaled that everything nevertheless pointed to a positive solution.