Pet welfare crisis in Germany

[WillieW]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/aug/30/animal-welfare-germany-crisis


NewsWorld newsAnimalsAnimal welfare crisis unfolds in Germany as refuges delugedCalls for welfare benefit for pet owners feeling the pinch as sanctuaries report massive increase in dumped animals

Richard Rogers The Observer, Sunday 30 August 2009 Article historyAnimal welfare charities in Germany are reporting a sharp increase in the number of abandoned pets – just as the organisations face a steep drop in donations.

The situation is prompting calls for a new welfare payment for pet owners, so they can afford to keep their animals, taking pressure off the charities. The crisis comes just weeks after Germany officially came out of recession.

At Europe's largest animal refuge, in Berlin – where the veterinary clinic is "bigger than most provincial hospitals", according to Der Spiegel magazine – they are rapidly running out of space. The cages for horses, dogs, cats and other animals collectively take up an area bigger than 30 football pitches, but are now in short supply.

Some 1,600 animals are being housed in the Falkenberg refuge – 400 more than this time last year. The centre, which has a staff of 120, says it needs more space to accommodate the hundreds of animals being dropped off by owners no longer able to afford them.

Other shelters across Germany report a growing trend of pets being abandoned – one person left two terriers near a refuge at Rostock last week with handwritten tags around their necks that said: "Unemployment beneficiary."

Some owners are even starting to dump animals close to refuges to avoid paying the fees.

Germans love their dogs, but the pressure of the downturn has seen donations to dogs' homes drastically cut, leaving some at risk of closure. Wolfgang Apel, president of the German Animal Protection League, said this year 400,000 pets will need to be cared for by refuges – almost double the number of 10 years ago.

He said the government should offer cash to those on unemployment benefit who have a dog – although only those who already owned a dog before claiming welfare payments.

German labour minister Olaf Scholz of the Social Democrats has responded by pointing out that the blind, the disabled, and "those who need a dog for psychological reasons" can already claim extra money.

[Vickers]

1. Just a link? No synopsis, no comment?

:wtf:

[SPedigrees]

2. My synopsis is sad, sad, sad.. I'd love to have part of my taxes used to help subsidize the care of

pets whose owners are unemployed, provided that the money was used for this purpose. Would be hard to enforce.

[madrchsod]

3. same thing is happening in the usa...

my local freecycle has had over 5 dogs in the last two weeks to give away because the owners had to "move".

[Double T]

4. Pet welfare is a great idea and it would probably save $$$$ in the long run.

obama needs to include pets and vets in his health care reform. What's good enough for man, should also be good enough for his best friend too. No sarcasm intended.

[BOG PERSON]

5. Welfare benefits extended to cats and dogs??

That's outrageous! Talk about a decadent society!

[Cleita]

6. Showing compassion to other species is decadent?

Making your horse a senator as shown in your cartoon is not the same thing.

[BOG PERSON]

7. Who said anything about compassion?

Devoting part of a your country's revenue to the maintenance of pets is definitely decadent.

[Liberal_in_LA]

8. Maybe it's cheaper to give the pet owner a few extra dollars a month than to house animals in

shelters

[Arugula Latte]

9. They should give benefits to cat owners if they do it for dog owners!

That pisses me off if they don't. I love my cats just as much as people who have dogs love their dogs.