Former Thurgau cantonal veterinarian demands acquittal
Published: Tuesday, Feb 20th 2024, 12:21
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The lawyer for the former Thurgau cantonal veterinarian accused in the Hefenhofen TG animal welfare case has demanded an acquittal in court. His client is accused of a state failure for which, however, numerous cantonal offices are responsible.
On the third day of the trial in the Hefenhofen animal welfare case against the former head of the veterinary office, his defense lawyer argued that the entire Thurgau authority was overwhelmed by a notorious troublemaker.
The lawyer rejected the accusations of the public prosecutor's office that the former cantonal veterinarian had not taken any action against animal welfare violations despite known abuses on the farm in Hefenhofen. Rather, the cantonal councillor responsible at the time had tried to improve the situation with the animal owner in question, who was considered unruly and prone to violence, by de-escalating the situation.
According to the lawyer, this strategy was supported at meetings by the numerous agencies involved, such as the agricultural office, the public prosecutor's office, the environmental office and the legal service of the responsible department. There was also a lack of support from the cantonal police to enforce a ban on keeping animals.
In addition, the government council would have been afraid of the costs of clearing the farm, which it estimated at 700,000 francs due to the large number of animals. His client could therefore not be convicted of inaction, the lawyer continued.
Accusation of abuse of office
In 2017, images of emaciated and dead horses on a farm in Hefenhofen shocked the public. After great media pressure, the authorities finally cleared the farm and auctioned off 93 horses.
The public prosecutor demanded a conditional prison sentence of 18 months against the then cantonal veterinarian. The public prosecutor's office accuses the accused of having known about various abuses on the farm for years and remaining inactive.
The former official veterinarian is accused of multiple counts of abuse of office, favoritism by omission, cruelty to animals by omission, damage to creditors and dishonest business management.
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