The referendum calls for a ban on den hunting, a ban on trap hunting, closed seasons for lactating fox mothers and shooting only if ecologically necessary
Vienna (OTS) – This morning, an animal rights activist held a fox that had been killed while hunting on Vienna’s Mariahilfer Street for a whole hour. This was a respectful way to commemorate the fate of this individual. How much agony accompanied this senseless death? How many friends and family members now miss this killed fox? How much grief was caused by this unnecessary death? Animal rights activists held posters against fox hunting with shot, traps and construction dogs and called for support Referendum for a federal hunting law by a signature.
The fox, one can say, is a real object of hatred among hunters. If she could have exterminated him, she would have done so long ago. Just like all other predators, from wolves to golden eagles to weasels and tawny owls. The fox is lucky to be quite small and to reproduce quickly if necessary. It can compensate for a loss rate of up to 70% per year. And even with the most brutal persecution, sustained mortality of this magnitude is beyond the reach of the hunting community. Nevertheless, 70,000 foxes are killed in Austria every year. And not in an animal-friendly way. In addition to driven hunts, such as in the Salzburg Night of the Foxes, where he flees in fear of death and is therefore usually not fatally shot, he is also tortured in traps or during den hunts. Setting up traps is still permitted, and the state hunters even defend them as necessary. The fox would otherwise “take” huntable animals such as hares, pheasants and partridges instead of leaving them as prey to the hunters. And during the burrow hunt, sharp burrowing dogs, such as dachshunds, are chased into the burrow. If you meet a mother fox, she will defend her children 5 m underground until death. The description of this strange “joy” of holding such dog fights can be read in numerous hunting magazines.
GDR. Martin Balluch says: “Ecologically speaking, hunting foxes is a disaster.
Foxes are not only very valuable for the ecosystem as health police. They also keep mouse populations down. A fox can eat up to 7,000 mice per year. So first we decimate the foxes and then we set up mouse traps to prevent mass infestation by these animals. Only humans can act so stupidly. It’s time to put a stop to this unthinking vendetta against predators, and especially foxes. The minimum is nationwide protection for all foxes while they are caring for their offspring. And that requires a federal hunting law!
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Press photos (Copyright: VGT.at)
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