The German Animal Welfare Federation and its Schleswig-Holstein regional association are supporting the spring campaign for statewide cat neutering in Schleswig-Holstein with a total grant of €20,000. The campaign starts on February 23 and ends on March 22, unless the funds are used up before then. During this period, stray cats can be neutered free of charge in participating municipalities. The campaign is an essential element in reducing the population of stray cats and thus the suffering of animals that have to live without human care. At the same time, it relieves the burden on animal shelters. The state plans to enact a statewide ordinance this year that will require cat owners to have their animals neutered.
“Over 3,600 stray cats were neutered, marked, and registered last year – a great success! The volunteer animal welfare activists are carrying this momentum into this year's spring campaign and are highly motivated to have as many cats as possible neutered again,” says Ellen Kloth, chairwoman of the Schleswig-Holstein regional association and vice president of the German Animal Welfare Association. Thomas Schröder, president of the German Animal Welfare Association, adds: “Stray cats have to fight for survival every day. Only through neutering can the vicious cycle of uncontrolled reproduction be broken – both for stray cats themselves and for animals living in human care! That is why mandatory neutering for outdoor cats is so important.”
HOPE IN STATEWIDE CAT PROTECTION REGULATION
After around 32,000 stray cats in Schleswig-Holstein were neutered as a result of campaigns in recent years, the state of Schleswig-Holstein now wants to enact a nationwide cat protection ordinance with mandatory neutering and mandatory identification and registration for outdoor cats. “We have high hopes for the ordinance announced at the end of the second quarter,” comments Kloth. “In combination, these two important measures – the state-wide neutering campaign and the state-wide cat protection ordinance – can really reduce the suffering of stray cats in the long term.”
NEUTERING CAMPAIGN ALSO FOR PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS
The offer in Schleswig-Holstein is primarily aimed at animal welfare associations, but also at other people who bring in stray cats that have been caught in one of the participating municipalities. After neutering, the cats are marked with a microchip transponder and registered with FINDEFIX, the German Animal Welfare Federation's pet registry. Finally, the cats are released back into the areas where they were found. The German Animal Welfare Federation and its state association are each supporting the neutering campaign in Schleswig-Holstein with 10,000 euros. The Schleswig-Holstein regional association also thanks the Bastet Foundation for its donations. The state of Schleswig-Holstein is providing a total of €110,000 for the neutering campaigns this year. Veterinarians and the participating municipalities are also supporting the campaign. Participating municipalities are covering half of the costs incurred in their municipal area, and veterinarians are waiving €30 of their fee per neutering performed.
Note to editors:
More information about the campaign, a list of participating municipalities, and all documents can be found on the websites of the state government and the Veterinary Association.
As part of its campaign “Every cat's life counts,” the German Animal Welfare Federation provides information about the suffering of stray cats and the importance of neutering: www.jetzt-katzen-helfen.de
