Animal dealer got hefty fine and was taken away the right to deal with animals.

Animal dealer Søren Thinggård was fined 100,000 Danish kronor today at the court in Roskilde, and was also taken away the right to deal with animals for two years.

01-03-2005

"Justice has been done", says the director of Dyrenes Beskyttelse, Ole Münster. "We are very happy that Søren Thinggård got such a severe sentence, even though we think he should have been taken away the right to deal with animals for at least 5 years."
"We have heard that Søren Thinggård is going to appeal, and we hope that will then result in a ban for him to keep animals for 5 years, so as to draw a clear line against this type of animal abusers", says Ole Münster.

Dyrenes Beskyttelse reported Søren Thinggård on January 24th, 2003, both for violation of the animal protection laws as well as the animal transportation laws, since he [Søren] had kept the birds in tiny little cages, and he transported the birds in totally inappropiate hamster cages.

The authorities had also reported Søren Thinggård for a number of other violations; such as illegal selling of endangered species.

About the case
The background for Dyrenes Beskyttelse's report was that Skov- og Naturstyrelsen [Danish authorities], during a visit at Søren Thinggård's, had discovered that he kept four common buzzards caged. Since it's not legal to keep Danish birds of prey without a special permit, he was ordered to surrender the birds to Dyrenes Beskyttelse's wildlife rehabilitation centre in Nærum.

Søren Thinggård transported two of the birds in a paper bag, and the other two in two small hamster cages. The two birds had flapped around and been so terrified in their small cages, that when they arrived to Nærum, they had large bleeding wounds on their heads and wings.

Shortly after they had arrived, three of the birds where taken to the vet's, where it became clear that all three were undernourished and plagued with vermin. In addition to that, they had big open wounds on their feet, which indicates that they have been sitting on the hard perches in the same position for a very long time. To prevent further suffereing, all three birds had to be euthanised immideately.

The fourth bird was in somewhat better condition, and after a period of rehabilitation at the wildlife centre, an attempt was made to introduce it back to the wild. But it turned out it had some kind of injury in one wing, and could not fly normally. So that bird too, had to be euthanised.

For more information: Ole Münster, phone: 40 96 68 24

Dyrenes Beskyttelse has reported animal dealer Søren Thinggård for violatition of the animal protection laws.

3 Common Buzzards [Buteo buteo] has been put down, one buzzard survives at Dyrenes Beskyttelse's rehabilitation centre in Nærum.

January 27, 2003.

It was a frightening sight to John Hørdum, in charge of the wildlife rehabilitation centre in Nærum, when four buzzards arrived Thursday, January 23. Skov-og Naturstyrelsen [Danish authorities] had discovered the birds in the care of animal dealer Søren Thinggård, and requested him to promptly take the birds to the wildlife rehabilitation centre in Nærum.

Three of the birds were undernourished and plagued with vermin. Two of them had fresh bleeding wounds.

Nails were missing on the right foot of one of the birds, and the foot was swollen. The plumage of the birds were in a bad condition. Two of the birds also suffered from permanent injuries to the head and feet, which was probably the result of long term poor care and housing. Two of the birds were delivered to the wildlife centre in two small hamster cages.

Shortly after they had arrived, the birds were transported to Københavns Dyrehospital [the Animal Hospital in Copenhagen], where three of them were immediately put down.

Søren Thinggård has stated, that the birds have been in his care for up to a year, and that one of them was trained for falconry.

Dyrenes Beskyttelse has now reported animal dealer Thinggård to the police for violation of § 1- § 2 and § 3 in the animal protection law, as well as § 2 and § 8 in the regulations for animal transportation.

"It's not the first time that animal dealer Thinggård violates the laws for animal protection. About 3 years ago, Søren Thinggård was convicted for illegal castration of ferrets. This time we hope that the complaint will result in a ban for Søren Thinggård to deal with animals. It is totally unacceptable to keep birds in the way we have seen here", says Tom Bengtsen, veterinarian and animal welfare inspector at Dyrenes Beskyttelse.

For more information: Veterinarian Tom Bengtsen 33 28 70 20 / 22 15 66 53
Chief of information Gitte Staffeldt 33 28 70 07