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04. 02. 10. - 16:00

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04. 02. 10. - 16:00

Wuff changes flyers after IKG criticism

Austrian dog magazine Wuff is to change controversial flyers after protests from Jewish groups.

The magazine said it is now using red circles instead of yellow stars on its flyers protesting against a proposal to make owners of fighting breeds of dogs acquire permits.

The Austrian Jewish Community (IKG) had said yesterday that Wuff’s flyers with a picture of a dog with a yellow star with the inscription "Böse" (evil) showed "a complete lack of taste."

IKG claimed the use of a yellow star to protest so-called "dog racism" might even constitute a crime. "Putting the examination of certain breeds of dogs on the same level as the persecution, torture and murder of millions of people shows the mentality of whoever is responsible for the use of such material," it added.

The Nazis forced Jews to wear yellow stars on their clothing to identify them as Jews, and yellow stars are seen as a symbol of Jewish persecution.

Wuff publisher Gerald Pötz said today (Thurs): "We hope the change will contribute to calming the situation down."

He added that new flyers would have a red circle with the word "Böse" (evil) on the breast of a pit-bull puppy.

He added the flyers had not constituted a deliberate attempt to link Wuff’s campaign to persecution of the Jews by the Nazis. "If IKG feels hurt, we feel really bad," he said.

Pötz noted that the purpose of the flyers was to draw attention to the fact that Vienna might start to stigmatise certain breeds of dogs.

The magazine is also campaigning against mandatory permits for owners of breeds of so-called fighting dogs. A referendum on the issue is to be held next week in Vienna.

Austrian Times

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