In Austria, animals now have a good reason to crow, bark and roar. A new law taking effect in January 2005 makes it illegal to confine chickens indoors, use choke collars on dogs, and cage lions or other circus animals. Passed by a unanimous vote in parliament, this far-reaching legislation also outlaws clipping dogs’ ears and tails (as usually happens with Dobermans) and sets up an ombudsmen office for animal rights in each of the nation’s nine provinces. Fines of up to 2000 Euros ($2500) have been set, going up to 15,000 ($18,400) in cases of extreme cruelty.

Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel hailed the move as a “pioneering” effort that will inspire other nations. Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland also have strong animal rights laws on the books and in recent months Hungary banned cockfighting, the Spanish province of Catalonia outlawed the killing of stray cats and dogs at animal shelters, and the EU is investigating cruelty in the transportation of farm animals. Germany plans to follow Austria’s lead by eliminating cages in poultry farming in 2006.

Source: Ode Magazine, www.odemagazine.com