Takac: We Want to Stop Animal Cruelty, Public Can Help with This

Bratislava, 16 June (TASR) - The state wants to stop animal cruelty in Slovakia and the increased number of illegal breeding farms from which animals are exported abroad, Agriculture Minister Richard Takac (Smer-SD) told a news conference held on Monday with Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok (Voice-SD) in attendance. The two ministers called on the general public to report any suspected animal abuse or neglect. "Slovakia is in first place in terms of unregistered breeding farms, and maybe also in terms of the number of people who have built a well-working business on this, but this will no longer work as it has done for many years," said Takac, adding that animal cruelty is a red line for him. As an example of cruel treatment, he mentioned the case of a 41-year-old man from Bratislava who abused a dog and didn't provide it with veterinary treatment despite the fact that it was suffering from a severe infestation of maggots. The dog subsequently had to be put down due to the severity of the damage. Sutaj Estok also condemned ill-treatment and neglect of animals, emphasising that the Interior Ministry and the Slovak Police Corps will also be actively involved in addressing this problem and stressing the importance of criminal protection of animals. Acting Police Corps president Jana Maskarova added that despite the fact that the country has made progress in animal-protection legislation, there are still people who commit violence against animals. Offenders can be sent to prison for a maximum of five years. Between 2022 and May 2025, the police recorded over 400 cases of animal cruelty, and the number if cases has been growing in recent months. The police recently uncovered the biggest-ever illegal dog-breeding farm in Slovakia in the districts of Prievidza and Partizanske (both Trencin region). A total of 853 dogs and puppies were being kept in unsuitable conditions on the farm, and many of them were in poor health when found. The animals were intended for export and subsequent sale in Italy, Germany and Belgium. ko/df