Franziskus Animal Shelter: Internet trading endangers animal protection

The number of dogs and cats in Hamburg has almost doubled – animal shelters are overcrowded – “Give the dog tax to animal welfare!”

  • Internet trade in young animals is constantly growing, and animal shelters are left behind.
  • Revenue from dog tax for the first nine months of 2024 was 5.34 million euros in Hamburg.
  • Across Germany, revenue from the dog tax in 2023 amounted to more than 420 million euros.
  • Prices for pet food have risen sharply – higher government revenue.

Hamburg. They're young, they're cute, they're nice and they sell well: Internet trading in young dogs – and other pets – is flourishing. Regardless of the illegal trade, the legal trade via the Internet in young animals is also going well. Whether from abroad or from local regions, directly from private individuals. But: They are often not vaccinated, have not been examined by a vet and have no papers. Some are sick and far too young to be sold. This presents animal shelters with major challenges – fewer and fewer nice dogs come to them for adoption, only difficult, sometimes sick cases for which there are no buyers on the Internet. Less nice dogs means less income and at the same time increasing costs due to the old, sick, hard-to-place animals.

“A vicious circle that is spinning ever faster. The losers are the animals and animal welfare,” explains animal rights activist Frank Weber, who runs the Franziskus animal shelter in Hamburg. Animal shelters pay for their protégés – even long after they have been placed! “This is a kind of guarantee for the animals from the animal shelter. However, this triples our costs and makes things tight in many places.”

At the same time, revenue from dog tax increases year after year. In the first nine months of 2024 alone, Hamburg collected 5.34 million euros from this tax. But: It is not a tax for a specific purpose, it does not benefit animal welfare! “We demand that the income be reinvested in animal protection. Some animal shelters are up to their necks in water,” Weber continues. Instead of the dog tax, you could also levy a tax on dog ownership, then it would benefit the animals.

Since the Corona pandemic, the number of pets has increased significantly; today around 40 percent of all households have an animal roommate – that was a total of 34.3 million pets last year, of which 15.7 million were cats and around 10.5 million dogs and 4.6 million small animals. The German pet industry recorded total sales of an incredible 7.1 billion euros in 2023. “Animal protection should also participate in this,” says Weber. “What happens to the animals that no one can care for is a concern for all of us.”

At the same time, the proceeds from the sale of animal feed increase, which in turn flows into the state coffers through increased tax revenue. Although a reduced tax rate of only seven percent is levied on pet food. An untenable situation for animal protectors.

A lot has been done for animal protection in the past few months, especially in Hamburg, but it is not enough. His demand: “Give the income from the dog tax to animal protection.” And his appeal to the federal government: “Finally raise the VAT on pet food to 19 percent and let the money also benefit animal protection! The income from animal placements and donations is not enough. We urgently need more support!”

The Franziskus Animal Shelter is primarily financed through donations, inheritances and individual donations. There is no financial support from the city. The fact that the animal shelter can still sustain itself also depends on its popularity from the Vox show 'HundKatzeMaus' and its presenter Frank Weber. “Fortunately, we receive a lot of support, especially beyond the borders of Hamburg,” explains the animal rights activist and animal lover. But that is the case with very few clubs. More money is urgently needed here.

About the Franciscan Animal Shelter
The concept of the Franziskus Animal Shelter is based on the idea that an animal shelter should be a meeting place for people who love animals. When designing the animal shelter, particular attention was paid to making the rooms as bright, friendly and attractive as possible. All cat rooms have outdoor areas connected to them, which allow the animals to make themselves comfortable in the sun. An essential part of the concept is the Pfötchencafé, which is located in the immediate vicinity of the outdoor cat aviaries, the tortoise enclosure and the wildlife station. Smaller events around the topic of “animals” take place here, visitors to the animal shelter can make themselves comfortable, and regular meetings of volunteers and employees take place there. Thanks to the support of the many volunteers, each animal can be cared for individually and the dogs housed in the Franziskus animal shelter are walked for up to three hours every day.