Continuous checks, a stable with hundreds of dogs and ever-increasing fines. The controversial dog breeder in Eersel is closely monitored, but still has a lot of dogs on his plot. How did it come to this, where are the dogs that are taken away from him and why is it taking so long?
What is going on?
Dog breeder Kwispel Enzo came into the public eye in November 2022 after animal welfare organization House of Animals went to investigate the breeder with a hidden camera. She discovered ‘appalling conditions’ and spoke of ‘large-scale bread breeding in an illegal puppy factory’. The NVWA supervisor also concluded that there were far too many dogs, heavily stressed in dirty pens.
The breeding is in violation of the zoning plan. The company on Grote Aardweg is not allowed to breed dogs at this location, the Council of State ruled in February. The breeder appealed, but his objections were swept aside by the court.
The NVWA removed dogs from the breeder in Eersel that were not in good shape. Other dogs were left behind by the NVWA. The NVWA cannot close a breeding farm. That’s up to the judge.
Why is the breeder still there?
After the ruling of the Council of State, the municipality announced ten weekly checks. The seventh check is over. The breeder can expect a maximum penalty of 25,000 euros if he has not left after ten weeks.
According to lawyer Rogier Izeboud from Breda, the net is closing around the breeder. If the maximum of 25,000 euros in penalty payments has been reached, the municipality can collect the money, with the help of a bailiff and attachment. If he continues, the municipality can impose an even higher penalty.
As a last resort, the municipality of Eersel can apply administrative coercion, Izeboud knows. Then the municipality can literally close the company and remove animals.
What happens to the dogs?
The NWVA is the first to act. He, together with other animal organizations, removes the dogs from the owner as quickly as possible. The animals then go to special shelters that meet special requirements.
According to the Animal Protection, there are 53 shelters in the Netherlands where dogs can be taken care of. The animals can be housed all over the country. The NVWA vet checks the health of the dogs before they go to an animal center.
Dogs that have been removed and checked must then be rehomed with a new owner. When it comes to so many dogs, that is quite difficult in practice. A perfectly healthy dog is easy to place, but it is more complicated for animals that are a bit ailing.
How can people prevent people from taking bad care of animals?
The Approach to Animal Abuse Act will be tightened. The House of Representatives debated this on 11 May. The VVD and Party for the Animals want the worst animal abusers to be banned from keeping animals for life. It is not yet possible to impose such a ban on keeping animals as a separate measure. You will be fined or imprisoned and banned from keeping animals for up to 20 years.
The case of the breeder in Eersel falls under administrative law, because he goes wrong with the zoning plan. His case is not criminal. House of Animals has therefore filed a report against the breeder. She would like to get the breeder to court under criminal law because stricter measures are then possible.
The Functional Public Prosecutor’s Office announced on Friday that a criminal investigation is underway into the breeder, following the report from House of Animals. The NVWA reports are also included in this. It is not known how long this investigation will take.
READ ALSO:
Controversial dog breeder gets a seventh penalty, but does not budge
Net closes to controversial dog breeder: ‘He can do very little’