Veterinary chief

“The official vets are not omnipotent”

Only those who have more than 50 chickens have to comply with the compulsory stall requirement in the affected Styrian districts, so this does not apply to private owners.(Bild: APA/HELMUT FOHRINGER)

State Veterinary Director Peter Eckhardt has been in the job for more than a year now. In this interview, he talks about his state of mind, criticism, bird flu and why his sector trains with the Cobra.

Peter Eckhardt has been in office as State Veterinary Director for just over a year. We asked him about current events and the accusation that "the official vet does nothing".

"Kronen Zeitung": You have been in office since August 2023, how are you doing?
Peter Eckhardt: Even before that, I couldn't complain about too little work as an official veterinarian, but this is just one more thing. Especially now with the current cases of bird flu and bluetongue.

Peter Eckhardt at the big exercise on swine fever(Bild: Christian Jauschowetz)

The latter is causing some serious problems for the dairy industry abroad, what is the current status here?
We have a lot of vets out and about to vaccinate as a precaution. So far, even in Styria, we have only had cases of the S4 strain, which is comparatively harmless. Unfortunately, we have also had one case of S3.

And what about bird flu?
Four Styrian districts have been classified as risk areas, and it is compulsory to keep poultry there. But please note: private owners with fewer than 50 chickens are not affected.

How many official veterinarians are there at the moment?
37 in all districts.

We often hear criticism from readers who see cruelty to animals and whom we refer to your department, saying that the "official vet does nothing anyway". Most recently there was criticism of the department in Hartberg-Fürstenfeld. Your opinion?
We take criticism seriously and investigate it. But: The official veterinarian is not, as many believe, omnipotent! They can only act within a certain framework. Simply removing animals, as some people imagine, is not possible. Unless there is imminent danger, there are many steps to be taken beforehand.

What are the tasks?
"Only" one third is animal welfare, although cases in the private sector are increasing. There are also inspections and checks on animals for slaughter.

What reactions do veterinarians encounter?
People are usually cooperative. But when in doubt, we have to ask the police for help. In Germany, a vet was shot down. I myself have been the victim of a firearm attack, and one person tried to lock me in the barn. There are also physical attacks such as jostling.

What can you do?
We attend de-escalation seminars with Cobra and are trained to deal with situations. For example, we learn how to use a bunch of keys for protection, how to position ourselves in the direction of escape and much more.

The layman has the impression that despite the excellent work of official veterinarians, animal abusers often get away with minor penalties or acquittals. And: Are legal requirements for keeping animals, such as horses, kennels and cats, sufficient?
In both areas mentioned, we are within the minimum legal requirements. My opinion on this is private.