Checklist: Report cruelty to animals
- Secure evidence.
Keep calm. Document the incidents of animal cruelty precisely and make a note of the time and place. Take photos whenever possible. Make a note of car numbers and addresses. Ask witnesses for a sworn affidavit. - Contact the veterinary office.
The local veterinary office is responsible if the Animal Welfare Act is not being complied with. If it receives evidence of animal cruelty or mistreatment, it must check how the animals are being kept. If the suspicion is confirmed, the animal welfare authority issues the necessary orders to ensure that the owners keep the animals in compliance with animal welfare regulations. If the official veterinarian finds that an animal has been seriously neglected, the animal will be temporarily confiscated so that the owners can improve the conditions in the meantime, for example by converting the barn. The veterinary office needs first-hand information. The authorities can act more quickly in the interests of the animals if eyewitnesses contact them themselves instead of reporting anonymously or contacting an animal welfare association or the German Animal Welfare Federation. - In acute distress: Contact the police directly.
In acute distress situations or a clear case of animal cruelty, you can file a criminal complaint directly with the police or the public prosecutor's office. This does not involve any costs for you and helps to hold animal abusers accountable for their behavior.
Cruelty to animals abroad
If you observe that an animal is being badly treated or kept abroad, we recommend that you first contact the people responsible yourself. If you do not want to do this, if it seems dangerous or does not help, document the cruelty to animals with photos if possible. Contact the local police or a local animal welfare organization. This is far more effective than trying to change things later from Germany. In retrospect, it is usually impossible to help the animals effectively. It is also important abroad that you can provide evidence: You must name the exact location, the date, details of the animal cruelty, the people responsible and any witnesses.
If you no longer wish to spend your vacation in this country due to the abuses, then be sure to let your travel company know. Tourism is the only source of income for these companies and you can therefore exert influence here. The more complaints they receive, the less they can turn a blind eye to the issue of animal welfare.
