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Pet abuse on the rise in Sweden: agency

Published: 12 Jul 11 11:22 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/34884/20110712/

Hundreds of cats being kept in a small apartment, lame horses kept unwatered and battered and bruised pooches - the number of pet-owners losing their right to keep animals on the grounds of abuse is increasing steadily in Sweden.

“I don’t actually think that the animals are being treated worse, but more cases of negligence are discovered and the control system seems to work better,” said Björn Dahlén at the animal welfare unit of the Swedish Board of Agriculture (Jordbruksverket) to news agency TT.

In 2005, 124 Swedes were issued with a pet ban and last year that number had increased to 192. If the trend continues in 2011, over 200 people will loose their right to keep pets this year.

Maltreatment and negligence are only two of the many reasons why pet-owners loose their animals and are prohibited to acquire new ones.

The increasing problem caused Stockholm police to form a special animal protection unit three months ago.

“We started this group because we knew there was a need for it but we never realised that the problem would be this large,” said Håkan Andersson, who heads the group, to newspaper Borås Tidning.

At the moment the unit is ten strong, a number that will increase with another three officers this autumn.

“Most of the people we deal with are really not in any condition to keep animals at all, because of substance abuse or mental disorders, and when it goes as far as someone reporting them, the animals are usually in pretty bad shape,“ said Andersson.

County councils assumed control of animal protection checks in 2009. Last year 240 people were working with animal rights and over 12,000 inspections were carried out.

In 60 percent of the cases the inspection is carried out after a report of maltreatment has been received from the public, according to Björn Dahlén.

TT/Rebecca Martin (news@thelocal.se)

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13:30 July 12, 2011 by Grahamsmjöl
What size of apartment is considered too small to keep an animal?
14:20 July 12, 2011 by jacquelinee
ok. So, if you mistreat animals, you they are removed from you and your license is taken away and you are not allowed to care for anilals anymore. Exemplory legislation! Someone must protect those animals, people ETC: who cannot protect themselves.Bra!

BUT, If you mistreat the elderly, you get 3 weeks vacation (oops, I mean suspension) and get sent back to the same place to look after them again, your documents intract to care/abuse them yet again.Then, after an public outcry, you are given another vacation (oops, I mean suspension) and the authorities say......

"We want to know how they are ensuring correct care, upon the return of these people," said Britt-Marie Persson, deputy manager of the south-eastern supervision division, to TT. ( NOTE: UPON THE RETURN OF THESE PEOPLE)

The authority cannot, however, take any action directly against the two employees pointed out as responsible for the maltreatment, because they are neither certified medical personnel, nor do they perform the type of duties that certified personnel do.

NOTE: AUTHORITY CANNOT; HOWEVER TAKE ANY ACTION DIRECTLY AGAINST THE TWO EMPLOYEES RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MALTREATMENT.

SO,it seems, if you are not certified medical personel or perform the duies medical personel do, you can abuse the elderly and authories can do nothing? What is wrong with these two statements people?

GENERAL CONCLUSION- If you live in Sweden, better to be a dog than and old person.
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