Shooting boars and swans in Utrecht no longer allowed

In the province of Utrecht, boars and mute swans are no longer allowed to be hunted for the time being. The province must of the courtI better substantiate why killing the animals would be necessary.

Utrecht had granted exemptions for hunting these animal species because they would cause damage. Animal rights organizations disagreed and challenged the exemptions.

The court agreed with the objections of the animal rights activists. According to the court, it is not certain that a small population of boars in Utrecht will cause damage. Before the animals can be shot, the province must first show that it costs too much money and effort to keep the population small in any other way.

The province must also come up with a new substantiation for shooting mute swans. They would cause damage to grasslands. However, the court asks whether this damage is serious enough to justify killing the animals.

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