NGOs sound the alarm

Animal rights activists see red if black-blue comes to power

The animal rights activists fear that progress already made in livestock farming could soon be reversed.(Bild: nutcha11 - stock.adobe.com)

At the weekend, the minutes of the negotiations between the FPÖ and ÖVP, which were passed on to the media, quickly made the rounds online. The points contained therein are now causing an outcry among all well-known animal welfare organizations. Because a glance at the program does not bode well for the welfare of our animals. 

Austria's animal welfare organizations are sounding the alarm: the government agreement currently being negotiated shows that animal welfare in Austria is under massive threat! For example, standards in agricultural production are to be removed or adapted to lower standards in EU and third countries.

"It is unacceptable that things that have already been achieved for the benefit of animals or were on the cards in the previous coalition negotiations are now being rolled back," says "Krone" animal corner manager Maggie Entenfellner, annoyed at the potential step backwards. 

Whether domestic, wild or farm animals: There is still room for improvement in all areas.(Bild: iwavephoto - stock.adobe.com)

Together with the "Krone" and its association "Friends of the Animal Corner", Austria's largest animal welfare organizations and institutions are at the forefront of the fight for improvements. "Vier Pfoten", the "Verein gegen Tierfabriken" (VGT), "Pro-Tier", the Tierschutzombudsstelle Wien, the association "Pfotenhilfe" and the Tierschutzverband Niederösterreich are jointly calling for an immediate revision of the planned measures in the interests of animals and people in this country.

Little room for more transparency
Important improvements in animal husbandry and the labeling of the way in which farm animals are kept, which are expressly desired in all surveys, are also on the back burner. Real challenges and abuses, on the other hand, are not being addressed: This applies to cruel animal transportation as well as the cruel full slatted floors!

The important exposures of abuses in Austria's stables, which have helped to educate the population in the past and have triggered important processes to improve legislation, are to be punished even more severely, even imprisonment is being considered!

"The planned measures or the weakening of existing laws would be a disaster for animals and animal welfare - but also for the reputation of Austria and its agriculture," emphasizes the Alliance of Animal Welfare Organizations in its press release.