Rescue centre aims to rewrite Portuguese animal welfare law

Oliveira do Hospital's first animal rescue and re-homing centre has embarked on a mission to change the Portuguese law regarding animal welfare. Founded in January this year and now consisting of a committee of 40 members, the AniMais (ANI+) association's mission was triggered by the plight of a mare and her foal, which are presently under the centre's care.

Five weeks ago, one of the association's founders was alerted to the pitiful situation of a mare and her now eight-month old foal, which had been spotted in a near starving state in a paddock some 25 kilometres away. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that the horses had been left in the paddock without food or water and appeared to have been eating their own faeces.

A veterinary practitioner was called in to give his professional opinion before a report and photographic evidence were presented to the local police.

Unable to offer legal intervention, the commander of the police took the only possible action in his power and rang the animal's owners who denied recognising any problems. The mare's painfully thin build was reportedly justified by the fact that she had recently given birth to the foal.

Unwilling to let the situation be overlooked, the ANI+ representative took the evidence to the head of veterinary practitioners in Lisbon as well as acquiring the services of a lawyer, before taking the matter to court.

Despite being awarded custody of the animals, it was to be another two weeks before they were found, having been removed from the paddock and later discovered in a stable that, given the wound on the mare's protruding hip bones, was obviously too cramped.

However, Portuguese law states that the animals can only remain under the centre's care for six months before having to be returned to their owners, as in Portugal, animals are legally classified as 'objects' and not living beings.

The ANI+ Association is now seeking legal advice from the International League for Protection of Horses to verify if and how this law can be changed.

Should the response prove fruitful, the association intend to take the matter to an EU legal body in the hope of overruling the existing law.

The survival of the mare is still doubtful given her dangerously thin frame, though the foal is now doing well.

Source: The Portugal News, 29 July 2006
www.the-news.net

 

 

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