Euskirchen. With the beginning of the summer season, many people look forward to vacation and leisure activities – for Germany's animal shelters, however, this time means the opposite: more stress, more animals, more stress. The new Purina animal home report Germany 2025* shows in a unique clarity: The situation in the animal shelters is tense-all year round. And she continues to get herself in the summer months.
Animals are handed over all year round – especially in summer
Most animal shelters report: the situation is heading. Two out of three animal shelters are at the capacity limit. 17 percent of the facilities are already overcrowded. The numerous struggles with acute bottlenecks- space and lack of money are at the top of the list of challenges.
The recording is relatively balanced throughout the year (60 %). The animal shelters experience a clearly noticeable high season in the summer months: over a third (36 percent) reports that animals are increasingly absorbed in summer.
“The situation is tense,” confirmed Petra Gerigk, animal shelter manager of the Cologne animal protection association in 1868. “In recent years we have had significantly more taxes, especially from old and sick animals. Despite education, many still underestimate the responsibility that is associated with animal husbandry. It is important that we create more awareness together.”
The survey shows that the number of animals recorded has increased significantly in the past two years. 81 percent of the animal shelters report an increase, 42 percent even a strong increase. The reasons for this are diverse. 67 percent give personal or health reasons, 66 percent behavioral problems of animals, overwhelming, lack of time and financial burden follow closely.
The mediation of animals presents many animal shelters with challenges. Almost half of the facilities surveyed indicate that the responsibility of an animal adoption is often underestimated. In addition to conflicts with animals already living in the household, many mediations fail (66 %) that the adopters lacked preparation and experience.
The study clearly shows that German animal shelters need help – on many levels: 77 percent require financial support, 71 percent suffer from lack of space, 62 percent complain of personnel. In addition, there is often a lack of volunteers (45 %), Donations in kind (33 %), and cooperation with other organizations (33 %).
The animal shelters raise the alarm – not for the first time, but with new urgency. Because while many animals are looking for a new home, the placement centers lack space, resources and support.
High participation, clear trends
The survey provides a resilient picture of the location in German animal shelters. Especially cats (99 %) and dogs (91 %) According to studies, authorities are presented in almost all of the facilities of the authorities, and at the same time they face the greatest challenges of care, space and mediation. A total of 227 out of 420 contacted animal shelters from all federal states took part in the representation survey.
The participation of over half of the animal shelters shows how serious the situation is. Many are at the limit, especially in summer, ”says Benedikt Schaumann, Corporate Communications Director at Purina, the initiator of the survey.“ Our clear goal was to make it visible with resilient data where the biggest challenges lie – and how targeted support can look. The results of our Germany -wide survey are a clear wake -up: for more help, more attention and for the good of the animals. ”
Purina is committed to animal shelters and responsible animal adoption
As the initiator of the Germany* animal shelter report, Purina draws attention to the challenges in German animal shelters. Because even if pet food is the central task of the company, Purina is committed far beyond the edge of the bowl for social issues.
The company not only supports animal shelters and animal boards all over Germany with several hundred tons of feed donations annually, but also provides comprehensive educational work and offers concrete help for adopters. As an exclusive sponsor of Bark Date for the live events in Cologne, Stuttgart and Frankfurt, Purina helps, for example, to make animal owners more visible and give them a second chance of a loving home.
Further information on the commitment of Purina on responsible animal adoption at www .puri na .de/u n s e r-e n g a g e m e n t/f o e r d e r u n g-t i e r a d o p t ion.
*Regional representative study by Purina, carried out by The Weber Shandwick Collective Analytics & Intelligence. Survey of 420 animal shelters, quoted by federal states, with a response rate of 54 percent (227 animal shelters) in the period from 5.2. until 7.4.2025.