New figures from the German Animal Welfare Association show that the overall population of stray cats in Germany is continuing to rise, which is dramatically exacerbating the animal welfare problem. Meanwhile, 71 percent of animal welfare organizations report increasing cat populations in their region. The consequences for animal welfare are immense: practical cat protection has collapsed; the flood of cats and their suffering are no longer manageable. Countless animals are already dying in secret. The German Animal Welfare Association is therefore calling on parliament to introduce a nationwide castration requirement for cats as part of the current amendment to the Animal Welfare Act.
“The situation is dramatic. The misery and the mass of animals in need of help make us animal welfare activists despair, while politicians remain inactive. In order to curb further uncontrolled reproduction, relieve the burden on local associations and protect cats from suffering, a nationwide castration obligation for outdoor cats from private households must be enshrined in the new Animal Welfare Act,” demands Thomas Schröder, President of the German Animal Welfare Association.
The situation has already worsened in a very short space of time: as early as 2022, 53% of animal welfare organizations reported increasing street cat populations. Two years later, the figure is already 71 percent. This is a huge problem for the majority of associations: they can no longer cope with neutering and caring for the animals on their own. There is a lack of financial resources and staff capacity in the already overcrowded animal shelters, which are burdened by a flood of kittens and a large number of surrendered and found cats.
NEW FINDINGS ON CAT PROTECTION IN GERMANY
The new additions to the “Big Cat Protection Report” contain the latest results from a previously unpublished online survey of affiliated animal welfare organizations from September. The new data underpins the problem and not only provides new insights into the current situation of animal welfare organizations, but also into the development of kitten surges, the survival rate of street kittens and the emotional burden on animal welfare activists caused by the suffering of cats. The supplements to the “Big Cat Protection Report” are available for free download at the following direct link: www.jetzt-katzen-helfen.de/report-2024
Note to editors: The German Animal Welfare Association is currently providing information about the nationwide animal welfare problem of street cats as part of its “Every cat's life counts” campaign (www.jetzt-katzen-helfen.de) and in its “Big Cat Protection Report”. The German Animal Welfare Association has summarized the advantages of a nationwide neutering obligation here: www.jetzt-katzen-helfen.de/tierschutzgesetz
