42 animals seized

180,000 euros in taxpayer money for bogus animal welfare

Final destination Vienna after hundreds of kilometers in a transport van: What was supposed to be a rescue turned out to be a well-disguised business scheme.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/zVg.)

Maggie Entenfellner’s August 1column on dubious dog adoption agencies from abroad sparked heated discussions. Now, a case in Vienna provides a sad, timely example of exactly the kind of criticism raised by the “Krone” animal section. The case involves 42 confiscated animals, forged vaccination certificates, and suspicions of a Europe-wide scheme.

In Vienna, a small van from Ukraine was stopped, carrying 20 dogs and 22 cats. The drivers claimed to be acting on behalf of an animal welfare organization and to be transporting the animals to France. They were unable to provide a convincing explanation for why the route went through Vienna. They also did not have a certificate of competence for the transport.

Falsification Instead of Care
The animals were placed in the care of TierQuarTier Wien. During the veterinary inspection, discrepancies became apparent. Several health certificates contradicted one another in their content. There were also inconsistencies in the rabies vaccination records, such as in batch numbers or expiration dates. Even more alarming were the results of the antibody tests. For all of the animals, the values were significantly lower than those listed in the Ukrainian documents.

A Recurring Scheme Preying on Compassion
Five dogs and nine cats had no antibodies in their blood at all. This means they had never been vaccinated, despite statements to the contrary in their paperwork. The transporter’s planned route would have taken it through several EU countries, including the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Germany, and the Benelux countries. The driver also stated that approximately 3,000 more animals were currently waiting in Ukraine to be exported to the EU.

Anyone who acquires animals from unknown sources risks not only losing a lot of money but, in the worst case, also endangering their own health and that of their family.

Ulrike Königsberger-Ludwig, Staatssekretärin für Gesundheit, Konsumenten- und Tierschutz

Bild: Imre Antal

Such a transport is not an isolated incident but part of a larger system. An almost identical case occurred last year at the border in Nickelsdorf, where customs officials stopped a shipment carrying more than 70 dogs and cats. The same driver, the same organizations, the same irregularities regarding rabies test results.

Danger to Humans and Animals
Behind the forged documents lies not a mere formality, but a ticking time bomb. Once it breaks out, rabies is almost always fatal. A single bite is enough to transmit the virus. Infected animals can appear completely healthy for weeks before the disease becomes apparent. Anyone who circulates forged vaccination certificates therefore risks not only the animal’s own life, but also that of humans.

High Costs and Shattered Hopes
The 42 confiscated animals will be revaccinated against rabies at TierQuarTier Vienna. After a 30-day waiting period, they will undergo another antibody test; in total, they will remain in quarantine for three months. The costs for this are estimated at 4,300 to 4,500 euros per animal. In total, this amounts to well over 180,000 euros, which will ultimately be borne by taxpayers.

But this also affects those people who had already paid around 500 euros for “transport” and a “nominal fee,” believing they were giving an animal from the war zone a new home. They are now left without an animal and without their money.

Klartext

Von Maggie Entenfellner

„Ich stehe weiterhin dazu: Es braucht dringend schärfere Gesetze und Kontrollen. Damit nicht kranke Tiere über mehrere Länder hinweg um teures Geld verscherbelt werden.“

Austrian animal shelters, already operating at capacity, are also bearing the consequences of the animal trade. For decades, our “Krone” animal section has been confronted with such cases. Our daily work includes finding homes for animals in need as well as supporting pet owners who can no longer afford high veterinary costs for their beloved pets. A striking number of these calls for help involve animals from abroad.