荷蘭
THURSDAY, 4 APRIL 2019 - 10:20
Netherlands to ban shock collars for dogs, limit breeding of 'designer cats'
The Netherlands will ban the use of shock collars on dogs from July next year, Minister Carola Schouten of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality announced. She is also tackling abuses in the breeding of so-called "designer cats", RTL Nieuws and the Telegraaf report.
The shock collar ban applies to individual dog owners as well as qualified dog trainers. Those who still use shock collars after 1 July 2020, will risk a fine of up to 20 thousand euros, or a maximum prison sentence of three years, according to RTL.
According to current scientific insights, the use of a shock collar is "a serious, inescapable violation of the welfare of the dog", Schouten wrote in a letter to parliament. Shock collars are often used in dog training. According to Schouten, there is no evidence that the use of a shock collar leads to better results in behavioral training than other non-electric measures. "The collar leads, any way you look at it, to less animal welfare. The animal suffers from it, it hurts, and if that is not necessary, we shouldn't do it."
The Minister is also addressing abuses in the breeding of thoroughbred cats, the Telegraaf reports. "We no longer accept that the welfare of cats comes at the expense of breeders who design animals because people find it physically beautiful", she said. "We will now take action against that." Schouten is particularly focused on the cat breed Bambino Sphynx. In many cases, due to breeding for appearance, these cats have too short legs, have poor eyesight, can no longer orient themselves due to lack of whiskers, and usually have so little fur that they can freeze to death in the winter or suffer severe sunburns in the summer.
The Minister previously also announced new animal welfare criteria for dog breeding, primarily focused on breeding for external characteristics. Dogs should be bred for health, not appearance, she believes.
While a number of political parties, like animal party PvdD, and animal welfare organizations are delighted by the shock collar ban, not everyone is pleased. Two dog trainers told RTL that they use shock collars to great success.
Dog behavior expert Anniek Winters has been using shock collars for years, mainly for training unmanageable or non-socialized dogs. "Never has a dog become afraid of it, I have never had any problems with it", Winters said to RTL Nieuws. "The collar should not be seen as a way to punish the dog, that is a mistake many people make. It is not a button that you press if the dog is naughty. It is a communication tool, and we teach people that too." She sets the collar to the lowest possible shock to which the dog responds. She stressed that a dog must never react to a shock with whimpering, crying, or being scared. "Then it is too high and then you get a shy dog."
Edith Peters, who trains mainly hunting dogs, has seen shock collars being used improperly, resulting in physically and emotionally injured dogs. But she does not consider the collar itself being animal abuse. She uses it on all the dogs she trains. "Always with success", she said. "Without that collar, many dogs would have lost their freedom because they can no longer walk off leash. Or worse: they had to be put to sleep."
Winters and Peters both emphasize that the collars must be used correctly. "I am only in favor of an e-collar for people and dogs that are well trained by an experienced trainer", Winters said. "Never by a loose collar without explanation or training."
"If the collars are banned, a lot of dogs will become unhappy", Peters said to the broadcaster. "But do you know what you can ban? The sale of those collars to desperate dog owners who use them without guidance." According to her, a shock collar should be "the first aid", not the last resort. "And you must know what you are starting, otherwise don't do it."
https://nltimes.nl/2019/04/04/netherlands-ban-shock-collars-dogs-limit-breeding-designer-cats
貧家毛孩的醫療費 這協會提供補助(2016-08-14 台灣動物新聞網
台灣動物新聞網 特約撰述 碎嘴/荷蘭報導
身為毛爸媽,毛小孩玉體欠安時,往往是心急如焚,特別是因阮囊羞澀而無法就醫的狀況。今年2月發生在高雄的71歲老先生為妞妞求助的事件,就是個絕佳的例子。有鑑於此,荷蘭的「寵物福利促進協會(Stichting Bevordering Huisdierenwelzijg)」便致力於荷蘭低收入戶寵物的醫療照護,讓毛小孩不因毛爸媽的經濟弱勢而承受病痛之苦。
寵物福利促進協會目前平均每月可金援15隻寵物,每隻約台幣4000元(110歐元)。協會自2012年成立至今也不過2年,但已在荷蘭動保界引起極大迴響;特別是和阿姆斯特丹和鹿特丹地方政府的合作計畫,最受人注目。荷蘭的社福制度對低收入戶雖有一定的生存保障,但毛小孩並未包涵在內。
協會發起人梵多那(van Doorne)夫婦在注意到經濟弱勢毛孩子的醫療問題後,抽樣調查「食物銀行」(註一)救助對象中的2200個家庭。調查後發現,約有58%的低收入家庭至少有2隻寵物;換句話說,這群醫療弱勢的毛口,其實十分龐大。
擁有毛小孩在荷蘭可是件所費不貲之事。若養的是汪星人,除了一般開銷外,在許多城市更是要繳狗稅。以筆者居住的城市奈梅亨(Nijmegn)在2016年的規定為例,養一隻狗要繳交的年費約為台幣3836元(106.56歐元),第2隻起每年要再繳約台幣5759元(159.99歐元)。
除此之外,毛小孩在荷蘭的醫療費也是十分驚人。以無療程的諮詢看診為例,每15分鐘要價可從約台幣1000到1500元之間(28-44歐元)。
嫌看獸醫貴?在萬事皆可保險的荷蘭,也有不少業者提供寵物醫療險的選擇;就連荷蘭最大居家雜貨零售商黑瑪(Hema),也在爭食這塊寵物險的大餅。受保的毛小孩,除了貓狗外,兔子和鳥也可投保。
每月的保險費,以喵星人在黑瑪的保單為例,依年齡及涵蓋範圍(像是有無包括化療或放射治療),每月約在台幣413到1210元(11.48~33.59歐元)之間;每年給付上限約為台幣10萬8千元(3000歐元)。由此可知,即使選擇以寵物險來分擔醫療費,仍是筆不小的開銷,特別是許多荷蘭的低收入家庭,每週約只有台幣1500元(40歐元)的生活費可支用。
梵多那接受筆者專訪時表示,經濟狀況不佳就不要養寵物是正確的觀念,也是理想的情況,但許多人常在養毛小孩多年後,才因失業、生病等變故,無力負擔毛小孩的相關費用。為此,梵多那憑著前述經濟弱勢毛口普查的數據,得以說服地方政府重視此問題。
以阿姆斯丹市政府為例,在梵多那及其他動保團體的奔走下,阿姆斯特丹市府自2016年1月到9月試辦低收入戶寵物醫療補助的申請。該市的低收入市民每年可申請一次免費的諮詢看診。
若有療程需求,費用若約在台幣3600元(100歐元)以上,即可申請補助。補助金額上限約為台幣10,800元(300歐元);不足之處,協會則出面與獸醫協調降價,或代為募款給付。鹿特丹市府雖尚未有確切實施的計畫,但已將低收入戶寵物醫療需求納入市政白皮書;至於實際的施行辦法與時程,協會仍與鹿特丹市府洽談中。
協會發起人梵多那強調,飼主最終需體認到毛小孩是自己的責任,因此飼主若將政府給的生活津貼做非必要的花費,像是拿去請客或買醉,再聲稱無力負擔毛孩子的醫療費,協會將會拒絕給與補助。這也是阿姆斯特丹政府的補助計畫中,有台幣3600元自付額規定的由來。對於真正無力支付醫療費的家庭,協會則給與分期償還的機會,或是幫忙重新安置毛小孩。
「因經濟之故,得說服孩子們送他們心愛的毛家人到更好的環境時,是這份工作最困難之處。他們並非不愛毛孩子,只是真的無力負擔。」梵多那感傷的說。
在問及對協會未來的規畫,梵多那精神一振的表示:「我期待有那麼一天,所有經濟弱勢的毛孩子都能受到妥善照顧,這個協會就能功成身退了。」
註一:食物銀行存在的目的,在於為貧窮線以下的居民提供免費的食物,使其在能自立前,能免於飢餓之苦。所有的食物為各界所捐贈,所有的工作人員也皆為志工。
~。~。~。~。~。~。~。~。~。~。
荷蘭,一個善待狗狗的美好國度!看看那裡的狗狗有多幸福 - Yespick - 熱新聞 YesNews - 2016-07-21 文:小澄 圖文:http://mcaf.ee/prb8tf
遺棄罰鉅款、賣狗苛重稅 荷蘭成首例無流浪狗國家
2016年07月19日 13:21
荷蘭原本是歐洲最多狗的國家,但經多年努力,並且還制定了歐洲最嚴格的法律,對遺棄動物或虐待動物者最高可判處1.6萬歐元的罰款,甚至在極端情況下會判處違法者入獄3年,荷蘭近日成為第一個沒有流浪狗的國家。
參考消息網19日引述西班牙《先鋒報》網站報導,19世紀,荷蘭是狗數量最多的歐洲國家,這導致狂犬病爆發,加上當時衛生條件的欠缺,狂犬病在荷蘭成為主要致死疾病之一。
近年來,更是出現了遺棄非純種狗的趨勢。流浪動物在街上大量繁殖直到令人擔憂的地步,終於使荷蘭政府決定著手解決這個問題。政府承擔為寵物絕育的費用,並組織大規模的寵物絕育運動,免費為寵物消毒。
此外,荷蘭政府還制定了歐洲最嚴格的法律,對遺棄動物或虐待動物者最高可判處1.6萬歐元的罰款,甚至在極端情況下會判處違法者入獄3年。
報導稱,最為重要的措施之一是向純種寵物狗的買家徵收重稅。這一措施遏制了寵物交易,鼓勵了那些真正想得到寵物陪伴的人。荷蘭政府的措施取得了成功,成為了當今世界的典範。 (旺報)
讓每隻動物都有機會重獲新生!看看荷蘭動物收容所是這樣,想想台灣現況呢…-寵物|教育|收容所|動物|保護動物-風傳媒-瘋荷日曆My Dutch LifeStyle - http://mcaf.ee/48m91s
溫暖不哭哭的荷蘭動物收容所(捷運爽報、十二夜臉書嚴選刊登) - 瘋荷日曆 My Dutch LifeStyle - udn部落格 - http://mcaf.ee/4v7y3b
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