WILLEMSTAD - More than twelve months after parliament adopted the National Ordinance on Animal Welfare, it has not yet been published. The law submitted by the MAN party is intended to promote animal welfare in Curaçao. According to the Animal Protection, there is no excuse for not promulgating the law.
"However, our Curaçao animals can't wait any longer. Every day of delay brings them pain, suffering and even death. It can be called a form of conscious animal genocide, i.e. leading animals to a slow, gruesome death on a large scale." said the Animal Protection in a press release.
A frequently heard argument for this opposition is that there is insufficient enforcement capacity. In other words: it makes no sense to promulgate this law, because enforcement is not possible. This argument is patently incorrect, says the Animal Protection.
There are various options for enforcement in the law. For example, the Minister of Health, Environment and Nature (GMN) can impose a penalty. The police and the judiciary can also take enforcement action. Finally, citizens can improve animal welfare through civil courts. "The latter option offers every citizen or foundation the opportunity to initiate civil (interim) proceedings against someone who does not comply with the animal law - hurts an animal unnecessarily, locks it up in a small box, neglects it or does not give it food and drink. The government, the police and the judiciary do not play any role in this form of enforcement, so the excuse of "insufficient capacity" does not hold."
The Animal Protection Society proposes to reintroduce the old "dog tag". Dog owners then pay an annual amount. Another option is to collect extra surcharges when importing meat.