The German Animal Welfare Federation has sent a letter to Federal Minister of Agriculture Alois Rainer calling for an end to the practice of catching chickens by the head in Germany. More than 600 million chickens in this country are affected by this catching method each year. The call for action follows a recent ruling by the highest administrative court in the Netherlands. The ruling makes it clear that this practice, which had previously been tolerated, is not compatible with European animal welfare regulations. The Dutch poultry industry must cease the animal-welfare-violating practice of catching chickens by the head by January 1, 2027—otherwise, it faces fines of up to 60,000 euros. Since the decision is based on European law, the German Animal Welfare Federation now also holds the federal government responsible for consistently implementing the applicable regulations.
“The ruling sends an important signal to Germany,” says Thomas Schröder, president of the German Animal Welfare Federation. “Federal Minister Alois Rainer must now ensure that European animal welfare regulations are consistently enforced here as well.”
In the so-called “head-down catching” method, chickens are grabbed by their legs for loading and transport, carried upside down, and placed in transport crates. Scientific studies have shown for years that this catching method causes significant stress and increases the risk of pain and injury. Yet more animal-friendly alternatives, in which the animals are carried upright, are already available and are being used successfully in various countries. The Dutch court also rejected the poultry industry’s arguments that these alternatives are not practically feasible. The ruling thus strengthens the position of animal welfare organizations calling for a switch to more humane catching methods.
The German Animal Welfare Federation has been campaigning for years to end the practice of catching chickens by the legs and actively promoting more animal-friendly catching methods. Together with industry partners, the association informs and trains capture teams and poultry farmers in animal-friendly capture techniques. In addition, the German Animal Welfare Federation has repeatedly highlighted the legal and technical problems with current practices in expert reports, technical articles, and discussions with policymakers and industry representatives.
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