Turmoil in Austria

The new animal protection act which came into force on 1 January 2005 in Austria prohibits specialist pet stores from offering dogs and cats for sale. In a draft bill dated October 2004 (see PET in Europe 4/2004), a transition period of five years was proposed to cater in particular for those pet store proprietors for whom the sale of dogs and cats constitutes a significant element of their sales. However, a recently adopted amendment to the act cuts this transition period, which will now only extend to the end of February 2005 and applies only to the sale of dogs and cats that were offered for sale prior to 1 January 2005. The five-year transition period will still apply to structural modifications to terrariums and bird houses. Specialist dealers who do not comply with the new animal protection act will face a fine of up to 7,500 euro. When quizzed by PET in Europe, specialist dealers in Austria said that in some cases they had only found out about the reduction in the transition period from the daily papers, but when they had enquired of the competent federal authority, the amendment was confirmed.