Animal law passed: dogs will no longer be on a leash? | Inland

The animal party recently succeeded in finding a majority to change the Animals Act. Esther Ouwehand’s party celebrated the political victory with a vegan cake. With the amendment of the law, the party intends that livestock farming will be adapted to the ‘perspective of the animal’ by 2022 at the latest, whereby ‘similar behavior is leading’.

In concrete terms, the opposition party wants, for example, duck farmers to provide bathing water and that rabbits are not in a cage, but can dig in the ground. Furthermore, animals should no longer be allowed to sit together in large numbers. That could have huge consequences for the agricultural sector.

Whether it will all get that far remains to be seen. Outgoing minister Carola Schouten (Agriculture), she previously called the amendment to the law impracticable, said in a debate on Tuesday that she will investigate the precise consequences.

Practice

The CU minister says that the amendment has been formulated so ‘openly’ by the animal party that the interpretation must now be examined. “For that I need to know what the legal impact is, how it relates to international regulations, enforcement and also what it should all mean in concrete terms for keeping animals in the Netherlands.”

The concerns are not only about the agricultural sector. The law may also have an impact on pet ownership. SGP MP Roelof Bisschop has asked Schouten whether she agrees that it should not go so far that dogs will no longer be allowed to be walked on a leash. BBB MP Caroline van der Plas warns that a majority has agreed to something they do not know the consequences of. The striking politician fears the worst: “Can it be ruled out that someone will no longer be allowed to have one dog at home because dogs live in a pack in nature?”

Legal consequences

Schouten cannot reassure the House of Representatives: “I want us to first thoroughly examine what it means, including what should be understood by the natural behavior of an animal. You can look at that differently too. I understand the House’s questions, on the other hand, it is the House that has put it into law. I can’t do much about that either. I am now trying to see how I can give shape to that.” The animal party thinks the law change can be used to enforce a better life for animals through the courts.

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