On the occasion of the special session of the Bundestag on the special infrastructure fund planned by the CDU/CSU and SPD, Thomas Schröder, President of the German Animal Welfare Federation, commented:
“If the CDU/CSU and SPD also provide the federal states and local authorities with massive financial resources as planned, it is imperative that these are also made available to animal shelters. Animal welfare is a matter of public interest; this has been confirmed time and again by case law. Animal shelters offer nationwide provision for the official safekeeping of found and confiscated animals and thus assume a mandatory task of the municipalities and districts. At the same time, animal shelters also take care of animals whose owners are no longer able or willing to keep them. Animal shelters therefore provide the state community with a systemically relevant infrastructure as a service of general interest.
Nevertheless, the political ignorance of recent years towards practical animal welfare has culminated in a dramatic situation for animal shelters. Many shelters are in urgent need of energy-efficient renovation and modernization, and the increasing number of animals staying longer and longer is putting a massive strain on buildings and staff. In view of the upcoming minimum wage of 15 euros, animal shelters must finally be given financial relief in order to be able to continue their work. So far, local authorities have been shirking their duty too cheaply. All federal levels - federal, state, local and district - must now face up to their responsibilities instead of passing them on to each other.”
Background: The CDU/CSU and SPD exploratory paper provides for 100 billion euros to be made available to the federal states and municipalities from a special fund for infrastructure totaling 500 billion euros. The amendment to the Basic Law planned with the bill, which is necessary for the provision of two planned special funds, will go to the 1st reading in the plenary session of the Bundestag on March 13 in an accelerated procedure, then to the Budget Committee, to the 2nd/3rd reading on March 18 and probably to the Bundesrat on March 21.
