Wels gripper at Brombachsee: Police kill animals after bathing accidents!

Wels gripper at Brombachsee: Police kill animals after bathing accidents!

Brombachsee, Deutschland - A tragic incident at the Brombachsee currently employs the minds: a Wels, which weigh around two meters long and 90 kilograms, attacked and injured several bathing ends in Bavaria on June 20. The police were forced to kill the fish together with the local angler association and the water watch, as there was an immediate danger to the bathers. A policeman released several shots on the animal, which was finally pulled and killed by Anglers to the shore. It is believed that the catfish wanted to defend his brood in front of the bathers, which explains the behavior of the fish.

Now the procedure is questioned. According to LTO, the public prosecutor's office and the Bavarian State Criminal Police Office have already been investigated with regard to a possible violation of animal welfare law. Attorney Andreas Ackenheil expressed concerns about the need to use firearms by the police. He emphasizes that less violent alternatives, such as a barrier of the bathing area or the stun of the fish, should be considered.

Animal protection law and human responsibility

As explains the Land Upper Austria, the Animal Welfare Act has been protecting the life and well-being of all animals since January 1, 2005. This law determines clear framework conditions that are intended to ensure that human responsibility towards animals is preserved as fellow creatures. It is particularly important that the addition of avoidable pain is prohibited without a reasonable reason. Therefore, the specific case of the catfish is now carefully examined to determine whether there was actually a reasonable reason when killing.

The animal protection association points out that the law contains stricter requirements for vertebrates, which are defined in § 90 a of the Civil Code as a feelings. The direct use of violence to defend animals is only permitted if there is an objectively perceptible danger. The ongoing investigations should clarify whether this was given in the case of the catfish.

public discussion about animal welfare

This incident not only caused a conversation in Bavaria, but also sparked the discussion about animal and nature conservation in Austria. Numerous voices from the animal welfare community require transparency and a comprehensive review of the laws to protect animals. In recent years, defects in the Animal Welfare Act have repeatedly been pointed out, which is often perceived as unclear and incomplete, which leads to different interpretations.

A rethinking in society is urgently necessary in order not only to improve the legal framework, but also to raise awareness of the rights of animals. The incident at the Brombachsee should remind us that we have a responsibility towards all living things and that in difficult situations we have to find alternative solutions that respect animal welfare.