Animal welfare must be guaranteed in all animal boarding facilities
That animal welfare is gaining importance in the public eye is obvious and not new. That equestrian sport came under international scrutiny after misconduct by prominent riders was a logical consequence, but it unfairly cast many people who genuinely care for their horses and who keep their animals as required in a bad light.
Horse welfare, or animal welfare more broadly, begins with accommodation — in the case of horses, with stables or boarding facilities. Like any other commercial animal boarding establishment, those for horses require a certificate issued by the Ministry of Agriculture that must be applied for in writing from the Veterinary Administration. The conditions for obtaining authorization are summarized here. All details are regulated in the relevant law of 27 June 2018; and had been published in Memorial A No. 537 of 29 June 2018 and under on the website agriculture.public.lu.
A permit to operate a horse boarding facility is issued only after the Luxembourg Veterinary and Food Administration (ALVA) has inspected the keeping conditions and the responsible ALVA director has issued a positive opinion. The application for a permit must include a plan of the infrastructure and equipment, a detailed description of the services offered, a list of staff and proof that they have been trained in animal husbandry conditions. A list of the animals kept and a description of their keeping conditions must also be provided. This means a boarding facility is obliged to record and document animals that leave the establishment as well as those that arrive. New boarding establishments must also apply for a business establishment permit.
If there is an acute risk of harm to animal welfare, the ALVA director may take various measures. For example, an owner or holder of an animal can be deprived of the right to keep an animal or of certain activities related to keeping animals. The closure of the stable or other facilities can also be ordered. In addition, all measures may be imposed that counteract a breach of animal welfare regulations. Costs arising from such breaches are borne by the animal owner or holder. Fines between €25 and €1,000 may be imposed for violations. For offenses, in severe cases imprisonment from eight days to three years and fines between €251 and €200,000 may be imposed.
The Ministry of Agriculture’s current list includes 28 horse boarding facilities in the Grand Duchy, including several riding stables. The absence of some known names on that list does not necessarily mean horses cannot be kept there. Currently such stables may simply not yet have the required paperwork; it is possible that the relevant procedures are still ongoing and not yet completed. It is important to point out this possibility and also that stables or boarding facilities that have not yet applied for the certificate can still and should apply. Regarding proper handling of horses by owners or keepers under the law, a proof that they have completed training in handling horses (the horse-handling license, in German: Pferdeführerschein) is sufficient. Put simply, stables and boarding facilities that have not yet submitted their application only need to provide proof of such a horse-handling license. Further details can be found on the ALVA and Ministry of Agriculture websites.
Translated from German by AI and reviewed and adjusted by Paul Krier.