The Ministry and Metsähallitus say they understand the concerns raised by the word competition. The controversial organiser plans to cancel the competitions in future, even if the hunting event continues.
The Small Game Trapping Championships, which caused a stir just over two weeks ago, start today in Suomussalmi.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, a lot of feedback has been sent to the Ministry about the organisation of the Small Game Shooting Championships.
– Finnish hunting culture is not about competing on the quantity of prey, much less about killing or making killing fun,” says Ruusila.
No ban on the event, veterinary surgeon called to the scene
Although there have been demands to ban the competition, the Animal Welfare Act does not provide grounds for banning the event in advance, says Vesa Ruusila, head of the ministry’s batch unit.
According to him, SM competitions in small game hunting are basically held within the framework of the valid hunting, alien species and animal welfare laws.
The Ministry has asked the Food Agency to arrange for an official veterinarian to be there to give instructions on activities in accordance with the Animal Protection Act. If, in connection with the competition, the official veterinarian determines that the animals have been killed in violation of the animal welfare legislation, the measures in accordance with the Animal Welfare Act will be taken, i.e. through the veterinarian’s request for a preliminary investigation, a police investigation will be initiated.
The competition word is to be abandoned
– Even though this is a competition, we practice ethical hunting here. As a hunt, this is no different from what it would be without the word competition, race organizer Heikkinen sums up.
Jarmo Heikkinen is now organizing the competition for the ninth time.
He says that in the future, the use of the word competition is going to be abandoned. However, they want to continue catching small game also with the help of people from outside the area.
Other controls on the spot
According to Metsähallitus’ press release, batch control and other control authorities plan to focus control on the competition area.
The release states that the word \”competition\” has caught the ear of the speakers when talking about hunting and hunting. Metsähallitus says it understands people’s concerns.
Metsähallitus batch control and other authorities send a patrol or patrols to the competition area on the weekend.
The organizer of the competition, Jarmo Heikkinen, is satisfied with the fact that supervision will be assigned to the place.
– Batch control has been there every year at the games, that’s a good thing. Even now, let’s make it clear that if the team does not operate according to animal welfare or hunting laws, it will be banned from the competition, Heikkinen sums up.
30 000 people call for a ban on competition
The Right to Animals organization has collected more than 30,000 names in two weeks to the address where they hope to ban the competition. The address has been handed over to the Government.
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