Worldlog week 25 - 2015 - Main contents

This week the focus was on banning sport hunting. My initiative policy document regarding the ban of sport hunting was brought before the Lower House. I want the killing of animals living in the wild stopped as soon as possible. Wild ducks, pheasants, hares, rabbits and wood pigeons are killed in the Netherlands solely for the enjoyment of the hunter. Every year, two million of animals are shot dead and the same number is wounded by about 28,000 hunters. Young animals are left without their mother and partnerships are broken, and group hierarchy and population dynamics are literally blown to pieces.

Sport hunting is just so out of date. Fortunately, most Dutch people think that way. Research has shown that only 3% of the Dutch people find enjoyment an acceptable reason for hunting, whereas 72% of the population believes that hunting as a hobby should be banned. Presently, sport hunters are given every support by the government to continue exercising their cruel hobby. In order to prevent the pointless killing of wild animals next hunting season, we need a ban now!

My initiative policy documents comprises two proposals: stopping the hunting of five animal species and the anchoring of a ban on sport hunting by law. Hares, pheasants, wild ducks, rabbits and wood pigeons are still permitted to be hunted without there being a necessity for it. The key for this ban lies with the Labour Party (PvdA), the party in office. The PvdA emphatically promised in its election programme that it would abolish sport hunting. Animals should be shot-proof! I’d be surprise if the PvdA would not stick to its election promise because nothing was agreed upon this in the coalition agreement.

Free hares? Or game over? Ban sport hunting!

In addition to my initiative policy document I also tabled two amendments to the government’s new Nature Conservation Bill. The first amendment is to stop hunting during the gestation and lactation period of animals. At present, mother animals, such as deer, may be shot dead during the time that they are looking after their fawns. As a result, these young animals are left without their mother and will die of hunger. Hunters say that they pay attention to this, but in practice they generally fail to respect their duty of care. For example, foxes that are to look after their kits, are killed en masse. Even pregnant and lactating animals are not spared!

My other amendment is to effect that game wardens will no longer represent the interests of the hunter, the legislature and the animals at the same time. Oddly enough, game wardens in the Netherlands still have two different and inconsistent duties under the new Nature Conservation Act. According to Dutch law, they are supposed to serve the interests of the hunters and to maintain the statutory regulationsin respect of hunting and nature as special investigating officer. This can lead to serious conflicts of interests. Our nature is very vulnerable and should be seriously protected.

To close, I have an interesting reading tip for this week. Nasdaq advises not to invest in meat. In this article you can read why.

Kind regards,

Marianne