Nuremberg Zoo plans controversial killing of couples: animal welfare in danger!

Nuremberg Zoo plans controversial killing of couples: animal welfare in danger!

In the Nuremberg Tiergarten it is bubbling: a controversial project causes heated discussions and heated minds. The zoo plans to kill several of the 45 Guinea pavians living there because the group has become too large. The responsible persons emphasize that animal welfare is in the foreground. But that comes across sharp criticism of animal rights activists who threaten a criminal complaint should be implemented. The Situation has worsened because conflicts between the animals always lead to injuries due to the cramped space.

In order to reduce the pavian population, the Tiergarten actively looks for ways to accommodate the animals in other zoos or similar facilities. So far, however, every attempt to find a new home seems to have failed. Although Paviane is offered via an internationally working network, there is no specific takeover request. So the zoo remains with a dilemma that affects the legal and ethical limits of animal welfare.

legal uncertainties

As reported by Bavarian Radio, the animal guards director Dag Encke recently commissioned a legal opinion in order to clarify the legal questions about the killing of the couples. However, this report does not bring absolute clarity. According to those responsible, only one court could ultimately decide whether the killing is considered a "reasonable reason" for action. However, such a "reasonable reason" is not always precisely defined, which is why the discussion is intensified.

As a rule, killing animals for nutrition or combating epidemics is recognized as legitimate. Many stakeholders consider it questionable whether this is also the "biological indication" in the present case. Tiergarten managers make it clear that in the event of a deliberate break, those responsible threaten those responsible, which also complicates the situation. In the event of a conviction, fines of a few hundred euros could also be imposed.

Animal protection law and responsibilities

A look at the Animal Welfare Act shows that this applies to all animals, with most of the individual determinations for vertebrates such as monkeys, dogs or cats. Animals are defined in civil law as fellow creatures that can feel pain and suffering. The law prohibits the addition of avoidable pain, suffering or damage, which brings the zoo into a legally precarious situation if the killing project should be realized.

animal rights activists report defects in the Animal Welfare Act, which is often formulated unclear and can lead to different interpretations. A demand for an association law in animal welfare in order to strengthen the protection of animals in court is raised by several organizations. Opinions about dealing with the Guinea pavians in the Nuremberg Tiergarten could therefore not only be important for the animals themselves, but also for the future interpretation of the Animal Welfare Act.

The Guinea-Paviane has been inhabitant the Nuremberg Tiergarten since 1942 and are part of a European conservation breeding program because its natural habitat is very threatened. The zoo sees itself as a responsibility to protect these animals and possibly re -sign again at a later date, but the current problems and criticism of animal rights activists must be taken seriously.