The fox enclosure used for training hunting dogs at the Neunkirchen Zoo is met with outrage not only in Saarland. On the occasion of protests concerning the training facility in Neunkirchen, the Saarland Greens are calling not only for the mayor of Neunkirchen to shut down the enclosure, but they also reaffirm their demand for a ban on fox hunting in Saarland.
On Sunday, August 7th, 2022, about 150 people from the Saarland Greens, PETA, the Citizens' Initiative Pro Fox, the Alliance for Animal Rights, the Animal Welfare Party, and others gathered for a vigil at the Neunkirchen Zoo on the initiative of WITAS (Wildlife & Species Protection) to jointly draw attention to this animal cruelty. "The zoo director, Norbert Fritsch, is increasingly entangled in contradictions in his statements regarding the fox enclosure. Some hunters are also desperately trying to cling to their ideas of the justification for fox hunting. It is still unclear whether the already constructed enclosure has a building permit," said Sullenberger, state chairwoman of the Saarland Greens.
For the vigil, the LAG Animal Protection of the Green Party Saarland has published its own collection of arguments with 10 reasons for a ban on fox hunting.
For the chairwoman of the Saarland Greens, Uta Sullenberger, fox hunting is neither ecologically nor ethically justifiable. "The experiences in Luxembourg, where fox hunting has been banned since 2015, clearly show that the described horror scenarios have not occurred. On the contrary, a healthy fox population has developed and many problems, such as the feared fox tapeworm, have decreased," said Uta Sullenberger. "The facts clearly show that animals are killed without valid reason during fox hunting and suffer great distress. As a society, we can no longer accept this as a leisure activity from our perspective."
Since foxes often venture close to residential areas, the Greens Saarland also see the need for action here. The Green Party chairman Dr. Ralph Nonninger explains: "Foxes are naturally shy in the wild. Non-lethal measures such as noises or light repel the animals without causing them harm. Simple technical measures can help keep foxes away from settlements in conflict situations."
Overall, a healthy fox population is beneficial for the ecological condition of the environment from the perspective of the Greens Saarland. Acting as nature’s health police, they isolate sick and old animals and keep pests like mice and rats under control.
