For several years now, the question of animal deaths in the Dunduru meadows in Ķemeri National Park has resurfaced in public debate each spring. As the snow melts, several dozen dead animals — aurochs-type cattle and horses — are found in the area. This year too, the media have reported dozens of dead animals, and residents indicate that the actual number of deaths could be even higher.

The animals in this area are kept in a fenced enclosure, and the herd belongs to the association "Ķemeru Nacionālā parka fonds". According to publicly available information, the fund's annual turnover exceeds 418 thousand euros, while its profit reaches more than 140 thousand euros.

The Latvian Hunters' Association stresses that animals kept in a fenced area cannot be treated as fully equivalent to wild animals. Under natural conditions, an animal that lacks food in a particular place moves on to other areas where food can be found. In a fenced enclosure, however, animals have no such option. This means that full responsibility for the animals' welfare and for providing them with food rests with the owner of the herd.

Hunters and local residents have repeatedly raised the alarm about the situation in the Dunduru meadows, pointing to the possibility that the animals are dying of starvation. The owner of the herd, however, rejects these accusations.

Andis Liepa, head of the Ķemeru Nacionālā parka fonds, told the Latvian Radio programme "Labrīt" that the accusations of animal welfare violations are outright slander. He explained that around 20% of the aurochs-type cattle died this winter and that the main cause was the severe frost. Liepa also stressed that the animals had reached the limit of their lifespan, and noted that animal remains are usually not removed from the wild because other animals make use of them. At the same time, Liepa expressed the view that the alarm is being raised by local hunting collectives which, in his opinion, would like to expand commercial activity in the area and get rid of the fund as its manager.

The Latvian Hunters' Association categorically rejects such claims and stresses that this is not about commercial interests, but about animal welfare. Haralds Barviks, chairman of the board of the Latvian Hunters' Association, points out that the situation raises serious questions both about the practice of keeping animals and about society's attitude towards animal welfare.

"Such cruel treatment of animals is simply beyond comprehension. Even more troubling is the double standard shown by the public and by the institutions. If in one case strict accountability is demanded of hunters when cruel treatment of animals is established, then the same principles must apply to everyone. Animal welfare requirements in Latvia cannot be selective," says Barviks.

The Latvian Hunters' Association also stresses that mass deaths of animals in a single location are not characteristic of natural wild populations. This winter, the weather conditions were the same for wild deer, roe deer and elk as they were for cattle kept in agriculture, yet these populations have not suffered mass deaths in one place. The association believes that the situation in the Dunduru meadows must be seriously assessed from the standpoint of animal protection and welfare. If animals are kept in a fenced area and have no opportunity to seek food elsewhere, the owner has a duty to provide them with appropriate living conditions.

The Latvian Hunters' Association also recalls that the Animal Protection Law clearly sets out what must be done in situations where an animal is left helpless. The animal's owner has a duty to meet all welfare requirements, including appropriate feed, care and, where necessary, veterinary assistance. If an animal is emaciated or suffering severely, the regulations also provide for humane euthanasia in order to prevent prolonged suffering.

The association stresses that animal deaths in such circumstances cannot be regarded as a natural process. If a similar situation were found, for example, in a deer park or in the herd of a horse or cattle owner, immediate action would follow — removal or relocation of the animals, or other measures to ensure appropriate living conditions and prevent suffering.

Together with its partners, the Latvian Hunters' Association condemns any cruel treatment of animals and calls on the responsible institutions to assess the situation in the Dunduru meadows in full. It also recalls that Latvian legislation provides for strict liability for cruel treatment of animals. Under the Animal Protection Law and the Criminal Law, cruel treatment of animals that causes an animal's death or severe suffering may incur criminal liability, including imprisonment.

If animal welfare violations are established, the association takes the view that they must be followed by accountability, just as happens in other cases where animal protection legislation is breached.

Animal welfare requirements in Latvia apply to all animal keepers, and they cannot be interpreted selectively.

The Nature Conservation Agency has also expressed its view. Responding to public concerns about the deaths of aurochs-type cattle in the Dunduru meadows, the Nature Conservation Agency has pointed out that legal and practical responsibility for the keeping and welfare of the animals rests with the land tenant — the association "Ķemeru Nacionālā parka fonds" — which, under a state land lease agreement, has been given more than 466 hectares to manage for the maintenance of grassland habitats. The agency stresses that its role in this case is limited to leasing state land for nature conservation purposes, while the keeping of animals and their use in grassland management is the tenant's own choice. Accordingly, the owner of the herd has a duty to comply with all requirements laid down in the Animal Protection Law and the Veterinary Medicine Law, ensuring the animals' health and welfare in accordance with their species and physiological needs.