- Title: German Alps official warns tourists to beware of dangerous cows
- Date: 16th August 2019
- Summary: GAISSACH, GERMANY (AUGUST 13, 2019) (REUTERS) CHAIRMAN OF THE ALPINE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION OF UPPER BAVARIA, GEORGE MAIR, PUTTING UP SIGN VARIOUS OF SIGN READING (German): "Attention grazing animals / Please keep distance / Dogs must be kept on a leash. Let go of the leash in case of danger." VARIOUS OF COWS VARIOUS OF MAIR CALLING TO COWS VARIOUS OF COWS VARIOUS OF MAIR CALLING SIGN / COWS COWS MAIR AND COWS COWS (SOUNDBITE) (German) CHAIRMAN OF THE ALPINE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION OF UPPER BAVARIA, GEORGE MAIR, SAYING: "First and foremost, the sign is aimed at the tourists, those on leisure. Because first of all, the understanding of grazing livestock and the dangers isn't present. Then, in most cases (of problems), dogs were involved. Of course, the hikers also bring along dogs that unfortunately are not leashed or in few cases leashed. So our recommendation is to keep the dogs on leashes and if there really is a dangerous situation, then you should let the dogs go, because then the danger of one is averted." COWS (SOUNDBITE) (German) CHAIRMAN OF THE ALPINE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION OF UPPER BAVARIA, GEORGE MAIR, SAYING: "We want to protect the (cattle) business owners. Whether it has achieved anything yet, we do not know. We also want to point out the tourists' own responsibility. If there is a damage claim, they must also take their own responsibility." VARIOUS OF SIGN (SOUNDBITE) (German) CHAIRMAN OF THE ALPINE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION OF UPPER BAVARIA, GEORGE MAIR, SAYING: "Nevertheless, we recommend that the signs are set up to draw attention to the danger, and that (cattle) owners take out public liability insurance that just in the case that damage occurs, they are financially secure. Because, you know, the verdict in Austria, that's scary, that that's actually coming into the existence, if there are hundreds of thousands of euros of damage claims." VARIOUS OF COWS SIGN / COWS VARIOUS OF COWS MAIR AND COWS VARIOUS OF PASTURE
- Embargoed: 30th August 2019 15:21
- Keywords: German Alps Bavarian Alps cows farmer danger to tourists tourists in Germany
- Location: GAISSACH, GERMANY
- City: GAISSACH, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Environment,Nature/Wildlife
- Reuters ID: LVA001ASLUBTL
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: German Alps officials are warning tourists that the scenic region's green pastures are actually not a petting zoo.
With the rise of selfies and mobile phone pictures, there have also been problems with cattle becoming irritated with the added attention of hikers, becoming aggressive and potentially dangerous.
Officials have created signs reading: "Attention grazing animals / Please keep distance / Dogs must be kept on a leash. Let go of the leash in case of danger".
"In most cases (of problems), dogs were involved. Of course, the hikers also bring along dogs that unfortunately are not leashed or in few cases leashed. So our recommendation is to keep the dogs on leashes and if there really is a dangerous situation, then you should let the dogs go, because then the danger of one is averted," George Mair, chairman of the Alpine Business Association of Upper Bavaria, told Reuters TV.
Local cattle owners have been advised to put up the signs and also take out liability insurance in case an angry cow creates damage to fences or other structures.
In Austria, a legally binding "code of conduct" has been raised for hikers who visit its picturesque mountain pastures in response to the death of a German tourist who was trampled by cows.
The incident which took place in Tyrol in 2014 made national headlines.
Earlier this year, a court ordered the farmer who owned the cattle to pay hundreds of thousands of euros in damages to the 45-year-old victim's family.
(Production: Ayhan Uyanik, Christine Soukenka, Barbara Woolsey) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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