– The most important thing for us is the animal welfare of the goats, says Gro Eliassen, head of department at the Norwegian Food Safety Authority. She says that they are now looking at the matter again, and that the goats can still live if someone can take proper care of them. – This is particularly important in connection with births or if the animals are sick or injured, says Eliassen. But there is a big challenge to the whole thing: the goats are not tame, which makes it very difficult to get close to them. – The owner must be able to collect them and give them the help they need. So that the chain is not taken by golden eagles or freezes completely in February, she says. ANIMAL WELFARE: Head of department in the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, Gro Eliassen, says the animal welfare of the goats will decide whether they are allowed to live on. Photo: Ole Kristian Svalheim / news The herd of goats grazing on the steep slopes between Høyanger and Balestrand has been a dear sight to many for 80 years. They have little idea of all the ruckus they have created in the last week. Since the Norwegian Food Safety Authority announced that they wanted to cull the herd, there has been a hail of reactions from politicians, animal welfare groups and people from all over the country. It was Ytre Sogn that first mentioned the case. Happy owner The owner of the goats, Birger Olav Sørebø, is happy that the Norwegian Food Safety Authority will reassess the case. – This is positive. Several people have contacted and said they will help supervise the goats. They will feed them in the terrain and some will take them into their barns, he says. Sørebø says that he has supervised the goats and given them additional feed every week during the winter. But this has not been good enough for the Norwegian Food Safety Authority. SATISFIED: The owner of the goats, Birger Olav Sørebø, is happy that the Norwegian Food Safety Authority will reassess whether the goats can still live on. Photo: Sondre Dalaker / news At most the herd was up to 100 animals. Now it is roughly halved. During an inspection last year, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority said that the animals looked healthy, but they feared that a lack of supervision and inbreeding would cause the animals to suffer. The owner of the animals was told that the animals must be shot before 15 May 2024. One of those who has been strongly involved in the case is Helge Fossheim Andersen, who created a support group for the goats on Facebook. So far, 12,100 members are involved. Have collected 4,700 signatures But now there may be hope for the four-legged creatures at Kvist in Sogn. – This was very good news. I have faith that the animals will be allowed to live. I can’t imagine that healthy, healthy animals that have fended for themselves for 80 years should be killed, says Fossheim Andersen. – But do you and all the others who are involved with the goats know enough about the matter to know what is best for them? – The Norwegian Food Safety Authority says that the animals look healthy, and you want to see visible signs on the animals if they are sick, says Fossheim Andersen. A signature campaign for the goat herd has so far collected 4,700 signatures. Instead of euthanizing the animals, they should rather be monitored in the future, believes Snorre Stuen, professor at Norway’s University of the Environment and Biosciences. – Then you can uncover loss, illness and other things, he says. Stuen indicates that stray domestic goats have previously survived in several places in the country. FINE: The wild goats in Sogn are very fine and it has created enormous interest that the Norwegian Food Safety Authority has signaled that they want to slaughter the herd. Photo: Odd Arild Løseth Up in the Storting On Wednesday there will be a hearing in the Storting. Here, Agriculture Minister Sandra Borch (Sp) must answer what she thinks should happen to the goat herd. But the goats in Sogn have been out in harsh weather before. In 2005, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority thought that the herd should be slaughtered from 100 to 30 animals. That time they turned around. An important argument came from the Genetic Resources Committee, which is responsible for looking after and managing endangered species of livestock. The genetic resources committee pointed out that the goats had developed unique characteristics as a national resource. Nina Svartedal, who is subject manager at the Norwegian Gene Resources Center, thinks the matter is complicated. On the one hand, the goats are considered livestock and must have an owner. At the same time, Svartedal points out that the herd is “hugely interesting” – We have no other breeds of dairy goats that have the same history. We would like to see the herd preserved, she says. WILD ANIMALS: The wild goats that graze on the steep slopes between Høyanger and Balestrand have been a dear sight to many for 80 years. Photo: Odd Arild Løseth
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New hope for the herd of goats in Sogn – news Vestland
