奧地利聯邦動物保護法──兼論其對我國動保法之借鏡

The Animal Protection Law of Australia

奧地利之聯邦動物保護法（以下簡稱「奧國動保法」），遲至2005年始行公布施行，以取代並統一增補各邦分散之動物保護及飼養法，雖晚於歐盟其他成員國，但其內容，不論是其適用範圍、主管機關、動物分類、飼主定義、飼主責任、畜犬登記、虐待動物之構成要件及法律效果，均有供我國動保法參酌修改的典範價值。奧國動保法適用於所有野生動物、實驗動物、家庭動物（寵物）、展演動物（動物園動物及馬戲團、雜技團等組織之動物），對於行政管理上之寵物買賣業管理、屠宰場管理、動物之家、行政執行、職務協助均有詳盡配套規範，最後對於我國缺乏實際經驗及制度之動保監察使及動保白皮書亦有明確指導性規定，可供我國未來在動保制度建立動物保護白皮書，及執行或修法之重要參考借鏡。

To unify the individual state laws on animal protection and animal keeping, the Austrian Federal Act on the protection of animals (Animal Protection Act–TSchG) has been in force since 1 January 2005, and in the meantime, according to Federal Preemption Rules, this law overrides the animal protection acts of the Federal Provinces. Although the law enforcement is later than other European countries’, considering the content, including scope of application, competent authority, animal classification, definition of keeper, keepers duties, registration of dogs, constitutive elements (Tatbestand) and legal effects of animal cruelty, the Animal Protection Act is still of great value to Taiwan’s Animal Protection Act. First, It is not only because that its national-land circumstances (mountainous and agriculture-based) similar to that of Taiwan, but because the Austrian Animal Protection Act is an integration of individual state laws on animal protection to meet the management needs, so it has an advanced legal system and enforceable legal rules, which are the elements that Taiwan’s Animal Protection Act lacks. Second, the Act applies to all animals, including wild animals, laboratory animals, domestic animals (pets), and recreational animals (animals in a circus, variety show and similar facilities). In addition, the complementary ordinances for the management of animal sales, slaughterhouses, animal shelters, administrative execution and administration assistance are enacted in detail. In the end, the Act also provides the guidelines for animal protection ombudsmen and animal protection report, which is deficient in our legal system. Thus, by reviewing the the Austrian Animal Protection Act, this article aims to provide suggestions for the introduction of the animal protection report and amendments of our Animal Protection Act.