However, on the occasion of World Animal Protection Day, Bares warns: “There is still a long way to go before there is a fundamental improvement in animal protection in Germany. The list of grievances is long. Politicians and society are called upon more than ever to end the suffering of animals.”
No fundamental improvements in recent years:
This year Germany is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the «state objective of animal protection» in the Basic Law, but the anniversary is not a cause for celebration. To this day, the state goal with regard to agricultural animal husbandry is largely symbolic constitutional legislation, there can be no talk of a fundamental improvement in animal protection in this area over the past two decades – this has also been shown by a legal opinion published by this year. This states a «surrender of the state objective of animal protection to the interests of animal use» of the industry. is demanding that the federal government finally take animal welfare into account, a consistent restructuring of animal husbandry and higher legal standards for animal husbandry.
Stable checks too rare and ineffective:
The current report on barn inspections shows that a fundamental restructuring of animal husbandry is sorely needed. Accordingly, the complaint rates in the stables, which are inspected far too seldom, have not improved over the years. On average, grievances were recently found in every third barn checked. The reasons for this are, in addition to an extremely low frequency of controls – on a national average only every 19 years – also insufficient legal provisions and hardly any sanctions for violations – the controls are neither preventive nor effective.
Live animal transport is cruel and hardly controlled:
The situation is similarly bleak for the transport of live animals. Every year, tens of thousands of cattle are transported from Germany to EU countries and to distant third countries such as Algeria, Uzbekistan or Egypt – despite the applicable EU regulation, the animals are crammed together at extreme temperatures in transporters and on ships. Breaks are often not observed, so the animals are not cared for as prescribed. Many animals only survive the journey with serious injuries, some don’t survive it at all. They are often cruelly slaughtered in the destination countries. calls for a nationwide and EU-wide ban on long-distance transports and transports of live animals to third countries.
The illegal puppy business is still booming:
The far too young and often sick dogs often come from so-called «puppy factories», where they are literally «produced» under cruel conditions. Separated from their mothers far too early, the puppies suffer from a weak immune system or serious illnesses for the rest of their lives. While the animal shelters all over Germany are hopelessly overcrowded – also with so-called «corona dogs», which were bought carelessly during the pandemic and are now being given back or even simply abandoned – hundreds of new puppy advertisements appear on online platforms every week. Behind many of these ads are illegal puppy traders who use the anonymity of the unregulated platforms for their perfidious business and offer the animals under false information and with forged papers. Online platforms are still the main sales channel for criminals – but the regulation of these announced in the coalition agreement is still a long time coming. Thousands of puppies are now paying for this with their lives. calls on the federal government to finally enact appropriate laws and thus prevent massive animal suffering.
Lack of identification and registration:
This is elementary for the protection of pets. Almost all EU countries have already introduced such a requirement – Germany is a disappointing last place here. A nationwide labeling and registration obligation would mean that lost dogs could be quickly reunited with their people, animal shelters would be relieved and animal health would be improved: Anyone who goes to the veterinary practice to have their animal microchipped also ensures their basic medical care. Since the origin of the puppies offered for sale online would also be traceable through reliable registration, potential buyers would be additionally protected from falling for criminals: The traceability of the animals is the cornerstone for the end of the illegal puppy trade.
EU-wide ban on furs overdue:
The European Union is one of the largest fur producers in the world. Every year millions of mink, rabbits, foxes and raccoon dogs are caged in small wire mesh cages and cruelly killed to create unnecessary fur products. The vast majority of the population now rejects real fur. supports the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) and calls for an EU-wide ban on keeping and killing animals for fur production and on trading in fur products.
Wild animals in circuses are a danger to animals and people:
On the occasion of World Animal Protection Day, is also reinforcing the call for a Germany-wide ban on wild animals in circuses. In Germany, circuses with elephants, tigers or lions still travel through the country. However, the species-appropriate keeping of wild animals is not possible in a mobile entertainment company: Frequent changes of location, long transport times, questionable training methods, small cages and stress are an enormous burden for the animals. Due to the inadequate housing conditions and constant direct interaction with humans, many wild animals in the circus develop behavioral disorders. As a result, the animals can become a danger not only to themselves, but also to people. Again and again, accidents occur in circuses with wild animals or the frightened animals escape and become a threat to the public as they flee.