The summary proceedings judge of the District Court of Midden-Nederland has stopped the shooting at wolves with a paintball gun in the Dutch nature reserve the Veluwe, effective immediately. This was done upon request by the Dutch foundation for the protection of fauna, Stichting Faunabescherming. Since late October, the province of Gelderland (where the Veluwe is located) has been deploying enforcers with paintball guns to deter wolves on the High Veluwe national park. However, the wolf is a strictly protected species. For that reason, the Faunabescherming filed an urgent request with the court to examine the case. Pending the hearing next week, the judge has already determined that the wolves are not to be shot at.
The case will be heard before the preliminary relief judge of the District Court Midden-Nederland on Wednesday 23 November 2022 at 14:00 o’clock.
The press release published by the court is available here.
The foundation Faunabescherming is represented in this case by lawyer Bondine Kloostra.