A few weeks ago, Ynske Hassing received an unexpected and unpleasant message from Municipality of Waalre. She has to leave with her dog school Quna on the premises on Houtakker 1 in Aalst-Waalre. According to the municipality, because she is ‘commercial’. “If I have to stop, I will lose my job and income”.
Ynske is still indignant about it. “As if the municipality didn’t know I was running a business there. They helped me two years ago when I was in danger of having to quit due to a fire. The civil servant I contacted told me that she wasn’t aware that I had a dog school there. Very strange…”
Ynske was in the news for days in January 2023, when it was announced that the premises of her dog school – in the woods of Aalst – had completely burned down. Including all the equipment and props. National and regional media paid attention to it. “And I spoke extensively with the Mayor. So it can’t be that they don’t know me.”
No land
This is confirmed by Janske Rohof, who, as the owner of dog school De Hondenhogeschool (dog high school) works together with Ynske. “I have been looking for a suitable location for two and a half years. Preferably in Waalre-dorp, but if I can use the site where Ynske is active, I would also be very happy. However, the municipality says that there is no land available”.
What particularly irritates both dog lovers is that it seems as if Waalre does not attach any value to the continued existence of the two companies. Ynske: “Although I live in Riethoven, my company is located in Waalre. This also applies to Janske. We are definitely not the most difficult and we are not asking the impossible. Right?”
Father
The site where Ynske now has her dog school is formally rented by Municipality of Waalre to the dog association Kringgroep (circle group) Waalre. A club of about ten members, of which her father was a member for almost fifty years. “He unfortunately passed away last year and it is extra cruel that I now have a conflict with these people. They also want to get rid of me”.
According to a spokesperson for the municipality, there is an agreement on the use of the piece of land on Houtakker 1 with VDH (German shepherd association) Kringgroep Waalre. It has been agreed for some time that use of the land is permitted by the dog association, but that subletting to commercial parties is not permitted.
A spokesperson for the municipality responds: “This piece of land is intended for social organisations and purposes and is therefore rented out for a low price. Mrs Hassing is not a contracting party of the municipality. She has been able to use the site all this time, under a so-called goodwill construction. She knew that it was finite”. Ynske denies this in all keys.
Search
Municipality of Waalre has no land available, the spokesperson says. “Mrs Hassing is of course free to start a petition and seek out the media. Perhaps she can find a new training location that way. Perhaps there is private land available within our municipal boundaries. As a municipality, we have no insight into this”.
The advice from the municipality to ask around among private individuals and farmers is not strange to Ynske and Janske. “We have of course been working on this for quite some time, because we have not heard anything from the municipality so far”, Janske explains. “Ynske can still use the current terrain until 1 October and I train alternately on the ‘guild field’ on Hoogstraat and on the ‘kite field’ behind the sports park”.
Ynske’s lawyer has filed a claim of €1,500 with the dog club. The association wants Ynske’s company to leave the terrain on Houtakker by 1 July. If this happens, there has to be something in return financially, Ynske believes. “If they don’t respond today, there will be summary proceedings. This is about my livelihood”.
Future
And what if the municipality sticks to its guns? Is the future of the dog school (or schools?) at stake? “Then it could easily become a difficult story”, Ynske admits. “I have between forty and fifty customers, but I can’t do without terrain. Preferably fenced. If I have to stop, a lot of dog owners will get into trouble. I walk their dogs and take them in when they go to work”.
Moreover, there will no longer be professional guidance for dogs with behavioural problems in Waalre, according to Ynske. “Or for puppies that need to get off to a good start”. Janske echoes this sentiment. “Our companies are our passion. Nothing makes me happier than contributing to a better connection between dog and human. But we don’t really feel supported by the municipality. The people who train with us almost all come from Waalre, so there is definitely a social interest”.
Source: Studio040
Translated by: Bob
