Estonia's justice chancellor: wild boars must not suffer in hunting dog training
Estonia's Chancellor of Justice's Office urges two ministries to set clear legal rules for training hunting dogs with live wild boars. Animal welfare must not be compromised, and guidelines alone are not enough.
The Estonian Chancellor of Justice's Office has recommended that the Ministry of Regional Affairs and the Ministry of Climate lay down clear legal rules for training hunting dogs with live wild boars. The aim is to ensure animal welfare and legal clarity.
An exemption in the swine fever rules
Four years ago in May, the regional affairs minister issued a regulation on preventing and controlling African swine fever. It includes an exemption: the ban on keeping pigs outdoors does not apply to wild boars held for training hunting dogs.
The Estonian Union for the Protection of Animals asked the chancellor to assess whether the regulation complies with the Animal Protection Act. The organization noted that the law gives no legal basis for using wild boars kept in artificial environments to train hunting dogs, and that no detailed requirements exist for such training.
The chancellor's office assessment
Deputy Chancellor of Justice-Adviser Olari Koppel said the outdoor ban is a biosecurity measure and the minister may introduce exemptions, provided they comply with EU law and do not undermine animal disease prevention. He therefore sees no reason to believe the exemption breaches those conditions.
He noted, however, that the regulation only exempts from the outdoor-keeping ban. It provides no legal basis for using wild boars in dog training and does not authorize anything the Animal Protection Act prohibits. The absence of a specific provision does not mean the activity is banned, he said, as long as other rules are followed, and training must be possible without endangering the animal's welfare.
The activity is mainly governed by the Nature Conservation Act and the general welfare requirements arising from it. Under the Animal Protection Act, animals must not be subjected to suffering or pain. If training cannot be carried out without such harm, the executive branch cannot make it permissible through regulations, guidelines or administrative practice. In that case only the Riigikogu, Estonia's parliament, can decide by law whether the purpose and benefits of the training justify an exception.
Koppel called the lack of clarity in the rules a problem. He said the two ministries should set the conditions for training in legislation, rather than merely in guidelines or explanatory memorandums.
