Wild boar instead of Löwin: Debate about exotic wild animals distracts from a lack of animal welfare

Wild boar instead of Löwin: Debate about exotic wild animals distracts from a lack of animal welfare

in Kleinmachnow has been sought intensively for a supposed lioness since Thursday morning. Around a hundred police officers were on duty to find the animal. But in the end it turned out that it was just a wild boar. Peter Höffken, head of the campaign of PETA Germany, now hopes that the debate will be rejected on the actual topic: the lack of animal welfare from exotic wild animals.

A current discussion point is the new animal protection law about which the traffic light is advising. In Germany, animal lovers can buy their own wild cat for the garden in seven of the 16 federal states. Only nine federal states have a dangerous animal ordinance that prohibits holding "dangerous" animals. However, there are uncertainties about which animals are considered dangerous. According to Höffken, only domesticated animals such as dogs and cats should be kept as pets because they have been bred for centuries for living together with people.

PETA Germany not only calls for a nationwide danger animal ordinance, but also a concrete ban on private exotic husbandry. Green politician Cem Özdemir had proposed a private exotic spell and a positive list with all permitted pets at the beginning of the year. However, this proposal was not very well received and was quickly criticized by interest groups, private owners and the traffic lights themselves. The director of the Wilhelma Zoo, Dr. Peter Kölpin, made a more moderate proposal and asked for a wildlife driver's license.

The large-scale operation due to the supposed Löwin view in Berlin has led to many people learned that there are also city hunters. Numerous police officers, hunters and detection dogs were involved in the search. The streets near the forest remained empty because residents were asked to stay in their houses. In the end, however, it turned out that it was a wild boar.

PETA Germany has long been committed to the well -being of wild animals and criticizes the often precarious situation of exotic in Berlin. Caps are often spotted in playgrounds, lions at clan weddings or giant spiders in front of police guards. The situation of wild animals in circuses is also denounced by animal rights activists. Höffken criticizes that politicians still sleep these problems. The current draft of the new animal welfare law of the traffic light does not contain a word about wild animals or the circus problem. Höffken hopes that the incident with Löwin will shake the politicians.