An app that encourages users to kiss cows has been branded a dangerous nuisance by the Austrian government which.
Castl, a Swiss app, launched the #KuhKussChallenge (“Cow Kiss Challenge”) on Wednesday, encouraging users in Switzerland and other German-speaking countries to kiss cows.
Austrian Agriculture Minister Elisabeth Koestinger said she can’t understand why someone would engage in kissing a cow.
Actions like this are dangerous mischief! Negligent handling of Austrian pastures has led to serious accidents in the past. For a challenge of this kind, I don’t have the slightest understanding! I will contact the initiators and ask them to stop this dangerous game.
Austria has been forced to deal with balancing the interaction between tourists and cattle farmers, a topic that has become an issue in the country’s mountain regions. Cattle is a key pillar in the region’s economy.
Pastures and meadows are not petting zoos — actions like these could have serious consequences,” she added, pointing out that cows could become aggressive when defending their calves.
Critterfiles.com reported that the country has changed regulations and put in new hiking guidelines for tourists after a court in the Tyrol region caused uproar after ordering a farmer to pay 490,000 euros (USD 555,000) in compensation to the widower of a woman who was trampled to death by a herd of his cows in 2014.
The farmer is appealing the verdict and is being supported by Austria’s farmers’ federation, which has warned of the “end of our mountain pastures” if the verdict is allowed to stand.
Numerous influencers are currently in pastures, according to a press release from Castl which adds humans and animals should not be harmed during the challenge.
