Volunteers from the Dierenweide Stroomdal in Beilen now have to contend with vandalism, leaving behind rubbish and dealers for about six weeks. “We find it particularly unpleasant for the children who work with us,” responds Peter Vereijken of Stichting Dierenweide Stroomdal.
“It makes you feel unsafe,” he continues. “Certainly because they come to the animals seven days a week. For example, after their homework. Then they don’t like being confronted with young people who don’t come for the animals.”
The foundation has called in the police, who now patrol the area more often. In addition, the foundation has installed additional security cameras. “We want to wait until the end to close it. We just want to be a public-friendly animal pasture. And not have to close everything with fences,” he outlines the doom scenario.
Vereijken says that everyone is welcome at the animal meadow. “We have a patio cover. Everyone can sit there to shelter or to chill out.” But that’s not what everyone is using it for lately. “Lately we see young people sitting in the evenings who bring food and drinks and start smoking. They leave all the mess to us.”
It doesn’t stop there. There is also more and more destruction. And there is a deal. Once they noticed that there was a security camera in the place where they were dealing. That camera was later destroyed. “But the images are in the cloud and we have shared it with the police.”
Vereijken sees that there are always the same ‘core persons’, but also a number of others. “We recognized a few. We even went there as a board.” But that’s not what the board will do with dealers. Better leave that to the police.
The destruction often happens in phases. The foundation has taken over the operation from the municipality for nine years. Then things go well for a while, then there is another phase of destruction. And that phase now lasts about six weeks.
Six weeks of cleaning up mess. “Smashed pumpkins and plenty of butts.” Work that the volunteers don’t come for. “Volunteers come to care for animals, not to clean up other people’s mess.”