cat

[Rob A.]

It breaks hunting act and public order act, solution is catch your cat and deliver it to munincipal "lost animals" shelter or telling pollice. Youll learn after you pay few times.
So its not just like smoking.

I came to this board for the purpose of asking a pointer for me to decide whether I break any laws for occasionally letting my cat run free. But unfortunately most replies are far from helpful - including this one.

Well...maybe you just aren't hearing what you want to hear... I give you "high marks" for being a cat-lover, but you don't seem to be all that tolerant of other people's likes and dislikes...

And personally I love to have all the wild birds come into my backyard...I feel "blessed" if I can put it that way... I live on the edge of a large park/greenspace... and I put out feed and suet as well, and I take the view that to some degree, I'm helping to redress habitat loss... I also put out stuff for other animals as well...squirrels, and in the past, raccoons... though there are far fewer raccoons these days and more skunks...but I understand these are natural cycles... As rats are endemic, they get their share, but all the ones I see seem healthy...and as I hardly ever get sick, I never worry about animal diseases...I'm more concerned about getting diseases from dirty humans...

Now that's what we really need... more bylaws requiring humans to shower or bathe at least once a day...

[fuyan]

It breaks hunting act and public order act, solution is catch your cat and deliver it to munincipal "lost animals" shelter or telling pollice. Youll learn after you pay few times.
So its not just like smoking.

I came to this board for the purpose of asking a pointer for me to decide whether I break any laws for occasionally letting my cat run free. But unfortunately most replies are far from helpful - including this one.

Ok, you asked if it breaks and i told it breaks and what laws it breaks and what neighbours can do.. Unhelpful indeed. What else you want?

What I asked is pointers to these law or laws, so I would be happy if you could refrain your judgement and simply paste the links.

[onkko]

What I asked is pointers to these law or laws, so I would be happy if you could refrain your judgement and simply paste the links.

www.finlex.fi metsästyslaki and järjestyslaki

[Salopian]

My neighbors are complaining that I let my cat run free. I can understand that in certain circumstances. For example, the combination of running cats and sleeping newborns in yards. Since this is not the case anymore, I really have some difficulties to understand these people. I do not like dogs, but I do not really mind seeing dogs everyday or even dogs barking at me sometimes. I can hardly imagine this kind of compliants in my own country. Could somebody send a pointer on the regulation on cats in Finland?

Balls to the regulations - such things shouldn't, hopefully, come into it. Go and have a word with the neighbours, explain the benefits to the cat, and, potentially the neighbourhood. Tell them you don't intend to cause any damage, etc, perhaps offer to put a bell on the cat's collar, etc; ask them what the problem is - try to gain a mutual understanding.

Consideration works both ways - it shouldn't always be about people preventing others from doing anything that might ever so slightly disturb the silent status quo of Finnish society. Surely this matter can be sorted out in a friendly manner...

Good luck sorting something out - if not, I'm sure the cat will adapt to being a house cat in time. Mine own furrball is unleashed during the summer, but at other times of the year she derives great pleasure from staring out the window at tits...(talitiainen...).

[onkko]

Well...maybe you just aren't hearing what you want to hear... I give you "high marks" for being a cat-lover, but you don't seem to be all that tolerant of other people's likes and dislikes...

And personally I love to have all the wild birds come into my backyard...I feel "blessed" if I can put it that way... I live on the edge of a large park/greenspace... and I put out feed and suet as well, and I take the view that to some degree, I'm helping to redress habitat loss... I also put out stuff for other animals as well...squirrels, and in the past, raccoons... though there are far fewer raccoons these days and more skunks...but I understand these are natural cycles... As rats are endemic, they get their share, but all the ones I see seem healthy...and as I hardly ever get sick, I never worry about animal diseases...I'm more concerned about getting diseases from dirty humans...

Now that's what we really need... more bylaws requiring humans to shower or bathe at least once a day...

Dont put any lichen or you get reindeers in backyard, those arent nice. Almost every spring local reindeer herders had to pay new flowers to my mother
Other not so nice visitor was neighbours huge bull, that was scary
But i think its useless to say that you, what you put in yard to get bear. Carcass?

[Rob A.]

...
Dont put any lichen or you get reindeers in backyard, those arent nice. Almost every spring local reindeer herders had to pay new flowers to my mother
Other not so nice visitor was neighbours huge bull, that was scary
But i think its useless to say that you, what you put in yard to get bear. Carcass?

Yes...I understand what you are saying, onkko...and I know if I lived at the edge of the forest (I'm actually in the middle of the urban area with a large green space on the north side)...but if I lived near the edge I would have to be more careful... and I would be... Even the bears are generally not going to be a problem, but you don't want to give them the wrong impression... But I do wonder what brought that bear last June into my yard...probably the first time in fifty or more years...

Carcass??? Hmmm ...maybe that's what happen to that grumpy, old Hank W....

[onkko]

...
Dont put any lichen or you get reindeers in backyard, those arent nice. Almost every spring local reindeer herders had to pay new flowers to my mother
Other not so nice visitor was neighbours huge bull, that was scary
But i think its useless to say that you, what you put in yard to get bear. Carcass?

Yes...I understand what you are saying, onkko...and I know if I lived at the edge of the forest (I'm actually in the middle of the urban area with a large green space on the north side)...but if I lived near the edge I would have to be more careful... and I would be... Even the bears are generally not going to be a problem, but you don't want to give them the wrong impression... But I do wonder what brought that bear last June into my yard...probably the first time in fifty or more years...

Carcass??? Hmmm ...maybe that's what happen to that grumpy, old Hank W....

I lived in forest as much its possible near city tho (near means 10km to city) Not enough woods to be totally lost (you always find a road) but enough to be away from society if you wanted to.
We once had fox coming near, it was fun to look but it dissappeared after few months.

Picture from our backyard



That was only picture i found and lesson is do not start smoking fish when lawnmover gas is next to smoking thing, yes we were very very drunk
Picture was taken June 25, 2004 10:07:29PM so there is sample of bright nights too
And im not in picture, thats my stepfather.

[Rob A.]

...I lived in forest as much its possible near city tho (near means 10km to city) Not enough woods to be totally lost (you always find a road) but enough to be away from society if you wanted to.
We once had fox coming near, it was fun to look but it dissappeared after few months.

Picture from our backyard



That was only picture i found and lesson is do not start smoking fish when lawnmover gas is next to smoking thing, yes we were very very drunk
Picture was taken June 25, 2004 10:07:29PM so there is sample of bright nights too
And im not in picture, thats my stepfather.

Well...I envy you... That looks like a really, nice setting ...it kind of looks like you're located on a low, glacial moraine.... Those same kind of pine trees are used here as urban ornamentals...but they just don't grow straight like those in the picture... I've never found out why, though. As ornamentals, though, the twisty shapes actually give them some appeal... Is that a lake off in the distance, or part of a road???...

The forests around my part of the world is a lot wetter...Cedar, hemlock, Douglas-fir...and in well drained areas...pine... though the pines also grow in boggy areas...and I don't know why...but I should... Also lots of undergrowth...

...and I see your step-father must be a perisuomalainen ....suomen värit......

[onkko]

Well...I envy you... That looks like a really, nice setting ...it kind of looks like you're located on a low, glacial moraine.... Those same kind of pine trees are used here as urban ornamentals...but they just don't grow straight like those in the picture... I've never found out why, though. As ornamentals, though, the twisty shapes actually give them some appeal... Is that a lake off in the distance, or part of a road???...

The forests around my part of the world is a lot wetter...Cedar, hemlock, Douglas-fir...and in well drained areas...pine... though the pines also grow in boggy areas...and I don't know why...but I should... Also lots of undergrowth...

...and I see your step-father must be a perisuomalainen ....suomen värit......

Well isnt whole northern finland low, glacial moraine I lived in kemijärvi so there you can check how it compares
There is nothing on distance, just woods till you get over of "vaara" (hill i think, not hill but bigger). There is some "tasainen" (not going up or down) area there and that could mix what you see.
And when we talk about pine trees you should see our cottage, made from huge "died pines" (what is kelohonka in english?).
"Kurkihirsi" (wood on top of building) is about 50cm iirc

That reminded me to old saying "tuossa on viisi poikki!" (there is five cut)

"Ovi tehtiin kun huone oli valmiiksi salvettu. Seinähirsiksi
tupaa varten valittiin ennen suurimmat puut mitkä saatiin
ja, kun viisi hirsikerrosta oli hakattu poikki, oli jo ovi
niin suuri, että isokin mies sopi siitä kulkemaan. Eikä ovea
tavallisesti tehtykään sen suuremmaksi. Kun käsketään jonkun
korjaamaan luunsa ovesta ulos, sanotaan lyhyesti: „tuosta
on viisi poikki!""

Meaning there is door, feel free to use it (not polite, more like command). Doors were commonly made by cutting 5 layers of pines in building and that was enough for common man to come and go.
And that "korjaa luusi ulos" is bit funny too "fix your bones to outside" (meaning fck off, leave or i make you to leave etc)

"My" cottage is made wood like this

[Pursuivant]

What I asked is pointers to these law or laws, so I would be happy if you could refrain your judgement and simply paste the links.

Järjestyslaki 2003/612
14 §
Metsästyslaki 1996/615
5 §, 48§,
Metsästysasetus 1996/666
21 §

[Piet]

What I asked is pointers to these law or laws, so I would be happy if you could refrain your judgement and simply paste the links.

Järjestyslaki 2003/612
14 §
Metsästyslaki 1996/615
5 §, 48§,
Metsästysasetus 1996/666
21 §

I know this is a very old thread but apparently there is not so much information, clear to foreigners, available.

I have been looking for this information a long time but finally it is clear to me thanks...

Conclusion after studying the applicable laws: You CAN have the cat walk free but you stay responsible for its actions, it is not allowed on a kids play yards, beaches etc. and you will not get a ticket for abandoning it as long as the cat is able to access the owners premises (distance must be reasonable) and it is clear that it is not a wild cat (visible name tag with phone number f.e.).

Additional I would like to mention that in my opinion it is animal abuse to keep a (normal) cat inside all its life, the cat is by nature an animal that hunts at night and sleeps during the day and does require a reasonable domain bigger than the inside of an average human domestic building for doing so (hunting).
Remarks about cats being a pest (by Finnish bird watching cat haters) is of course laughable hence a healthy bird is way too fast for a cat.

[rinso]

Remarks about cats being a pest (by Finnish bird watching cat haters) is of course laughable hence a healthy bird is way too fast for a cat.

I see almost daily evidence of the contrary. And I don't believe those were all sick birds.

You CAN have the cat walk free but you stay responsible for its actions

A free roaming cat is uncontrollable. So you will end up with the consequences.

[Upphew]

Additional I would like to mention that in my opinion it is animal abuse to keep a (normal) cat inside all its life, the cat is by nature an animal that hunts at night and sleeps during the day and does require a reasonable domain bigger than the inside of an average human domestic building for doing so (hunting).

Your opinion differs from the officials' opinion and the law.

[justaguy]

Funny. I've seen plenty of cats wandering around suburbs in Helsinki (mostly nice forested ones) and well ALL of those cats had very visible collars and bells to show that they were pets. I don't think anyone has complained about those.

Cover your cat in pretty things and bells etc. so your neighbours know its your pet and tell them to piss off. It's better for the environment to have a cat around, even just the smell of a cat keeps the vermin away amongst many other things. Sounds like your neighbours are pathetic and need to get some hobbies. Their lives must be so slow.

[Upphew]

Funny. I've seen plenty of cats wandering around suburbs in Helsinki (mostly nice forested ones) and well ALL of those cats had very visible collars and bells to show that they were pets. I don't think anyone has complained about those.

Cover your cat in pretty things and bells etc. so your neighbours know its your pet and tell them to piss off. It's better for the environment to have a cat around, even just the smell of a cat keeps the vermin away amongst many other things. Sounds like your neighbours are pathetic and need to get some hobbies. Their lives must be so slow.

Typical cat owners' attitude. "My yard is my yard and your yard is also my cat's yard. If you disagree, you need some hobbies."