Wolvenmars in Zuidwolde: ‘Something has to be done’

About thirty people, some goats and ponies could be found tonight in the center of Zuidwolde. The attendees walked a protest march to the town hall together with their animals via the Hoofdstraat. The target? Make their concerns about the wolf known to the municipality.

With banners and signs the procession walked towards the town hall. Initiator Chantal Borst-Platel in front. She herself is a horse breeder and is increasingly concerned about the wolf in Drenthe. “With this campaign we want to draw attention to this. The wolf is a beautiful animal, but it also entails a lot of suffering. We want to make that clear to the municipality, something has to be done.”

The only question is whether the municipality can do much, because they have no powers in terms of enforcement. “I am aware of that,” continues Borst-Platel. “Yet it is true that they can exert a little more pressure on the province as far as I am concerned.”

“Of course you don’t have to shoot immediately, but at least take care of management. Maybe De Wolden is working behind the scenes to make contact with the province and they are already doing something. But we just want clarity.”

The horse breeder has not yet seen the wolf in her pastures. “But with the signals I hear around me, I just don’t want to take the risk.” That is why she chose to take her foals out of the pasture three weeks ago. “I’m too scared that something will happen.”

She is moderately happy with the rise of the people. “In the beginning it seemed to be a quiet evening, but in the end quite a few people turned up. It could have been a bit more, but you have to start somewhere.”

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