The children in Assen are working hard to preserve the deer park. The Children’s Council’s call to continue petting deer forever was supported by the city council during the council meeting.
A motion by the VVD, Assen Centraal, SP, ChristenUnie, Lijst De Rijke and 50Plus to make national cauldron music for the preservation of the deer park was supported by almost all parties on Thursday evening. Only GroenLinks did not support the Children’s Council’s call.
The parties believe that the deer park in Assen, the oldest in Drenthe, should not disappear. According to petitioner Bert Homan (VVD), many Assen residents have beautiful and positive memories of the Asser deer camp. The stable on the Dr. Nassaulaan has been there since 1841 and is part of the historic villa development in that part of the Drenthe capital.
‘Never an accident in Assen’
According to the parties, the deer in Assen are kept safely and responsibly and there has never been an accident in the park. Nevertheless, Minister Piet Adema (Christian Union) of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality previously decided to introduce a controversial extinction policy for deer parks.
Scientific research has shown that deer do not thrive behind a fence. The intention is for a ban on keeping fallow and red deer as a hobby or pet as of July 1, 2024. A transitional arrangement will be introduced for the currently living animals, which means that they can spend the rest of their lives in the deer park.
‘Not sufficient animal welfare’
Only GroenLinks did not support the motion. Councilor Paul van der Kolk finds the deer park a difficult issue and supports the expert advice that Minister Adema bases on. According to him, the welfare of the animals in the Asser deer camp is not sufficient. “We would prefer that we think together with the children’s council about a different use for the location of the deer park. Animals deserve freedom as nature intended.”