Karin Büchl-Krammerstätter Head of the Municipal Department 22 Environmental Protection in Vienna Dresdner Str. 45, 1200 Vienna, Austria karin.buechl-krammerstaetter@wien.gv.at Tel.: +43/1/4000-73401 Folie 1
We = 4 Persons: 1996 How we started Harald Schwammer (zoologist, vice-director Zoo Vienna) Hermann Gsandtner (veterinary, City of Vienna, at that time: Department for Animal Protection) Nicolas Entrup (at that time: NGO, member of Vier Pfoten ) Karin Büchl-Krammerstätter (lawyer, at that time: Vienna s first Ombuds(wo)man for environmental protection) Our original idea: To define minimum standards for keeping wild (equal to existing standards for animals in zoos) Folie 2
Status Quo 1996 not enough floor space tricks are frightening, unnatural, and even painful brutal "training" methods transport: over long distances, animals may be chained while not performing, transported in vehicles that lack climate control, and forced to stand or lie in their own waste Folie 3
Our self development no minimum standards (only for transitional period) but a ban for keeping wild! because: even in good circuses it would be impossible to satisfy the needs of wild animals! (circuses = mobile enterprises) Folie 4
Transportation beeing transported is a stress situation for all animals to a different extent animals do not have appropriate freedom of movement during transport no sufficient floor space to meet ethological needs with every change of location animals have to get used to the new environment Folie 5
Training Ideas for regulations animals may only be made to perform tricks their nature permits them to do! training methods that cause pain, fear or suffering or other harm are strictly prohibited! (great difference between theory and practice!) BUT: training and entertainment in a circus can never be seen as free movement. Folie 6
Our next steps we defined the guidelines for keeping of wild (with the aim of using them during the transitional period till a legal ban) we compiled a detailed draft for a ban, which could be 1:1 adopted for an equal law (and it was adopted)! we convinced Helmut Pechlaner (director of Zoo Vienna at that time) to be our patron we organised a press conference with handpicked guests in a special location with great media response Folie 7
No wild from a non topic to an important issue many positive reactions from: public media other Austrian Ombudsmen for environmental protection many politicians some negative reactions from: circus operators (not so much did they underestimate our power?) kindergardens, schools! Folie 8
What we did to raise awareness (I) information/presentations: about poor conditions in captivity and training happy circus family seldom exists no strong bond between wild animals and owners business instead of happy family : it is very common that circuses rent artists and trainers as well as animal acts for tours Folie 9
What we did to raise awareness (II) discussing the aspect of safety for visitors and trainers study Accidents with (wild) : international nearly 100 accidents only between 1990 and 1997! 49 accidents with big cats, in 29 cases humans were injured or even killed 37 accidents with elephants, in all cases humans were injured, in 11 even killed Folie 10
The next steps towards an Austrian wide ban our proposal was turned into a Viennese legal ban: Vienna banned keeping wild (with a phase-out period) as first Austrian Bundesland all other eight Austrian Länder implemented the same ban into their law 2005: Austria got a new nationwide animal welfare law the terms according the ban of keeping wild were copied into the Austrian animal welfare law! Folie 11
Status quo the Austrian Court of Justice and the European Commission confirmed, the ban is lawful! our question, we raised already 1996: is it ethically acceptable to allow the keeping and exhibition of any living being simply to entertain people??? We all know the answer.. Folie 12