FACE participated in the 13^th Plenary Meeting of the EU Large Carnivore Platform on 5 June in Brussels, which gathered key stakeholders including the European Commission, conservation organisations, landowners, and hunting representatives to exchange on coexistence with large carnivores.

The European Commission highlighted the importance of coexistence between large carnivores and rural activities, stressing the need for practical tools, funding, and locally adapted solutions. Continued work under the Birds and Habitats Directives, as well as the ongoing stress test will shape future policy directions.

A central highlight for FACE was the strong focus on innovative tools to protect hunting dogs, notably the DogTech protective vests tested in cooperation with hunters and supported through the LIFE Wild Wolf project.

These vests, designed as modular and adaptable systems tailored to different hunting environments, have undergone extensive field testing, particularly in Croatia, and have delivered highly promising results.

Evidence presented at the platform showed no recorded fatal incidents of hunting dogs being attacked by wolves while wearing the vest. Importantly, Croatian hunters played a key role in refining the effectiveness of the vests by providing continuous field-based feedback and practical suggestions, which allowed the design to be improved and better adapted to their specific hunting conditions and habitats.

The success of the dog vests has generated strong interest across Europe, with testing and uptake expanding to countries including Italy, Latvia, and Greece, and increasing engagement from hunting associations.

Overall, the platform discussions underlined that successful coexistence depends on combining policy support, funding opportunities and proven on-the-ground solutions. The positive results achieved with protective dog vests clearly demonstrate that innovation can play a decisive role.

At the same time, FACE emphasises that alongside the promotion of successful wolf management, it will continue to actively support the development, dissemination and uptake of practical tools such as protective dog vests to reduce conflicts and strengthen coexistence with large carnivores across Europe.