Brussels, 17 January 2019 - GAIA today noted the intention of the Federal Minister for Consumer Affairs Nathalie Muylle (CD&V) to make changes to the guarantee legislation on the sale of animals. Although it seems contradictory, it is imperative to maintain the two-year guarantee on the sale of animals to consumers. The minister has also stated that he wants to do this. However, at the same time the minister said "he wants to make changes to the guarantee scheme in order to avoid disputes". The minister will listen to this at Ani-zoo ...

Who does Minister Muylle drive for?

Ani-zoo is composed of all kinds of large-scale Belgian importers of puppies from Eastern Europe. Very often members of ani-zoo are convicted for selling sick animals to consumers. Well, the so-called Consumer Purchase Act is a thorn in the eyes of those dog dealers! It is therefore Ani-zoo that has been lobbying for years to get this law eroded.

The question now arises as to whether Minister Muylle drives the rights of the (deceived) consumers or the bread breeding sector?

Needless adjustment, guarantee scheme is already perfectly arranged

Master Anthony Godfroid, GAIA's lawyer and specialist in the matter, says: “In recent years I have had one after the other pronounced condemnation of members of Ani-zoo: it is always about similar stories. Deadly sick puppies are sold to consumers with the sellers afterwards taking everything possible out of the closet to avoid having to reimburse veterinary costs. A well-known method is to require that buyers go to the store's vet, the so-called contract vet, for "free recovery". However, these vets work for the breeder-traders in question and are therefore by no means objective. Incidentally, a large criminal case is pending against one of them before the correctional court in Antwerp for forging the origin of dogs from Eastern Europe (Slovak dogs were made into Belgian dogs). The guarantee scheme in Flanders was perfectly arranged in 2019 by Minister Ben Weyts who is competent in this regard. The question therefore first of all is whether Minister Muylle is competent. "

Mass import puppies must be restricted, not undermine guarantee rules!

Michel Vandenbosch, chairman of GAIA, adds: “If the members of ani-zo were not convicted so often under the application of the guarantee rules, then ani-zo would not have been lobbying so actively with this new minister. It is significant that people want to see the guarantee eroded: instead of importing less sick animals and reselling them, they want to see the legislation weakened. Instead of undermining the guarantee legislation, there would be a much better focus on taking measures to curb the massive import of sick Eastern block puppies. "

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