Animal Welfare in Austria

  Robin Hood does not only help with projects abroad but also takes care of animals in need in Austria.

Concerning wild animals, for example, our work for the wild animal station in Gföhl is described.

Almost every day we receive calls of people wanting to inform us about grievances. We follow up each and every call and try to help. We file complaints, try to talk to the “pet owners” first, offer help. Unfortunately, all of this is accompanied by a tremendous amount of effort. The pet owners are often unreasonable, angry or uncooperative. The authorities react slowly, we have no right to find out if something was done or not. More often than not, inquiries on our part are perceived as annoying. The Animal Protection Authorities (represented in each state) are also not always helpful.

Especially in the last few weeks, we have been in action almost daily.

A cattle farmer in Weiten, Lower Austria, who did not feed his animals was brought to our attention. Robin Hood brought food and fed them almost daily. Finally, it turned out, a lonely boar was also held on the farm, alone, in the dark and without litter. After filing a complaint and convincing the animal owner, we were allowed to take the boar Pauli to the “Pfotenhilfe” in Lochen. A big thank you to the Pfotenhilfe. Boar Pauli is very well now, by the way. 🙂

But the fate of the cows is still on our minds.

Another, difficult case in Neuwinden, Lower Austria: Two sheep, two goats and more than a hundred birds, ducks, chicken and geese held in the most adverse circumstances. Here too, Robin Hood filed a complaint. The authorities’ answer: The animals would be given away anyways… there are still birds there, nothing has changed, as far as we can see. What happened to the ruminants, we don’t know.
In the same village, a dog was tied to a chain for years. Here too, we filed an official complaint. An inspection showed – the dog is gone. What happened to him, also, in this case, we don’t know. Because we have no right to find out.

Case three: A cattle husbandry near Rogatsboden, in the district Scheibbs, Lower Austria: Although the cattle have a big area available, there are no dry places to lay down in an old stable. They have to stand ankle deep in the dirt. The cattle owner wanted to explain to us, that that would be a great compost keeping … The official veterinarian was informed and knew about the case, litter was prescribed. If this is going to be followed up?

Hofstetten-Grünau in Lower Austria: In the leisure centre “Sehnsucht”, there are beavers living in the natural pond. The local council, with the mayor leading the way, decides to capture and kill them. Because wild animals have no reason to live there; because you can not mow the lawn as comfortably anymore with them gnawing the trees and also because beavers could potentially be a danger to children.

We have asked a wildlife expert: The only solution is to put cuffs around the trees, everything else is pointless, even the killing. Having said that, beavers are protected, but as so often, here too, an exemption has been granted. At European level, the beaver is protected by the Berne Convention and moreover also mentioned in Appendix II and IV of the Fauna-Flora-Habitat Directive in the EU Member States. Robin Hood has met with the major, who is unreasonable and scared of further complaints. Somehow that is also understandable. We have to go by the law here, so as not to punish those, on whose property there are wild animals. And one thing has to be clear: If I want nature and I go swimming in a natural pond, then I have to realize, that there are going to be some animals there. Otherwise one has to stay in his or her room. We can not constantly “correct” nature in a way that makes it more comfortable for us.

These are only a few of many examples.

  • Apart from these daily aid projects, Robin Hood is opposed to Fiaker.
  • Works actively to improve laws.
  • Tries to bring improvements to the “livestock husbandry”.
  • For example, we were an instrumental part of uncovering the scandal at the pig farm in Gemersdorf near Böheimkirchen, Lower Austria.
  • We are also a part of every demonstration, such as anti-fur, against animal transports, the hunter ball demo, against the religious slaughter of animals, etc..
  • We help people in their daily lives concerning questions about animals and seek solutions together, no matter if duck, cat or horse.

But because our team is very small, this means we work almost around the clock. Because see our other projects and campaigns, we have to use every minute.

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