– I get very upset. Kenneth Ask runs the visitor farm Vestre Knolden Gård in Rakkestad in Østfold. He has taken in many animals that need a new home. This winter he has experienced finding boxes of hens, roosters and rabbits standing outside in the yard. The boxes have often been put out late at night or when he has not been at home, he says. – It can be quite dangerous when it is so cold. They could freeze to death, poor things. They are often very small, the ones we get. All the animals he takes in must be registered, examined by a vet, quarantined and socialized with the other animals. The animals must also have vaccinations. BOXES: The boxes have often been put here, says Ask. In the boxes there have been hens, roosters and rabbits. Photo: Caroline Bergli Tolfsen / news – This is illegal Åshild Roalset, head of Animal Protection Norway, reacts strongly to people leaving animals outside. – It is absolutely terrible that people do that. It is illegal to leave an animal in a helpless state as stated in the Animal Welfare Act, so then you commit an offence. – Especially now that it is so cold, these animals that are put out in boxes are at the mercy of someone finding them quite quickly. – They can get frostbite or even die. Every year, they help around 6,000 animals in need who have gone astray. The majority of animals are cats. General manager of Animal Protection Norway, Åshild Roaldset. Photo: Håkon Sparre / NMBU Roaldset believes that mandatory ID marking must be put in place, so that the purchase and sale of animals is registered. Then it will also be easier to prosecute if animals are left helpless, she believes. – Then a lot would have been solved because then we would have been able to track our animals. All the animals are socialized and housed with animals they go with. On the farm, Kenneth Ask has many rabbits. Llama on Vestre Knolden farm. Rabbits can live anywhere from five to ten years. Tove the pig likes to come out to get some cuddles. Asking people to think about Ask asks people to think about when they consider getting an animal. You must have both time, resources and the opportunity to take care of it for many years. He believes it should be forbidden to give animals as gifts. – I recommend people to visit visitor farms to familiarize themselves with what it takes to have the animal and what type of care they need. And not least to choose an animal based on the activity level of the family. Kenneth Ask asks people to take a close look at what the animals need before acquiring an animal. Photo: Caroline Bergli Tolfsen / news – Even a rabbit can live up to 12 years. They require quite a lot of space, the right food and you have to change cages often and make sure they are comfortable. If a situation should arise where you can no longer have your animal, you must contact the right authorities, he says. – You must contact those who live on farms for relocation, Animal Protection or possibly a veterinarian. Ask has now taken a break from accepting relocation animals to make some changes on the farm and for financial reasons. Caring for and helping so many people is not free. – We have to change our cages and not least financially so that we might get a little more help, he says.
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People have left animals in boxes on a farm in Rakkestad winter – news Østfold – Local news, TV and radio
