Several animal owners were reported to the police

PoliceIllustration.Police.Photo: Norway Today Media

The number of animal owners who have been banned from having animals has more than doubled from 2017 to 2018. The Norwegian Food Safety Authority has reported several animal owners to the police.

It is important for Norwegian animal welfare to punish animal owners who do not treat animals well. The Norwegian Food Safety Authority uses strict measures against animal owners that violate the rules for animal welfare, says Minister of Agriculture and Food Olaug Bollestad (KrF) in a press release.

In 2018, several cases were discovered where animals were seriously adversely affected than in previous years, the annual report from the Norwegian Food Safety Authority shows. Last year, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority received record-high 12,666 concerns. Most were about pets, but there were also many messages about horses and a some production animals.

Last year, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority carried out inspections of animal welfare in 7,857 cases. 78 owners were banned from having them and 81 animals had to be put down. Serious animal neglect was revealed in 63 cases, an increase from 42 cases in 2016 and 46 in 2017.

The increase is especially true for pets, but also cattle and sheep. For pigs, it is a decline from the two years before.

© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today