Hamburg animal protection association complains again
Animal abandonment at the beginning of the summer holidays
Hamburg. Summer holidays in Hamburg. When their owners go on holiday, this means that many pets have to say goodbye – forever. Because even before the big holidays, more and more animals were abandoned. The first holiday victims have been reported by the Hamburg Animal Welfare Association of 1841 eV (HTV) already recorded.
The chairwoman of the HTV, Janet Bernhardt, is appalled: “Despite our educational work, we have to mourn a large number of victims of abandonment. It makes me angry and sad that there are still such unscrupulous people who accept great suffering or even the death of their pet by simply abandoning it before they go on holiday. Anyone who does not want to stay at home, cannot take their pet on holiday or cannot find temporary accommodation should show a minimum of responsibility and hand it over to us at the animal shelter so that we can find a new home.”
The number of abandoned and rejected animals is high again before the start of the Hamburg summer holidays: Between June 1st and July 16th, 194 animals were found in the Hamburg city area, presumably abandoned, and brought to the HTV animal shelter on Süderstraße or, in an emergency, picked up by the association's own animal rescue service. The association estimates the number of unreported cases to be much higher, as not all animals are found in time and die in secret. Among the presumed abandonments are ten dogs, 105 cats, eleven small mammals, 45 birds, 13 turtles, one snake and nine Achatina snails. For 16 of these animals (ten cats and four birds) All help came too late: they died on the way to veterinary care, fell asleep forever despite treatment or had to be put down despite all efforts.
Again a particularly high number of abandoned cats
Cat protection regulations urgently needed
Experience shows that the number of abandoned animals continues to rise during the summer holidays and can reach sad peaks of more than 50 cases per week. “We are preparing for more animal abandonments during Hamburg's summer holidays. Since our space for cats is limited due to the renovation of the old cat house, we hope that we will not have to impose a cat ban again,” says HTV chairwoman Janet Bernhardt. The high number of cats, kittens and even pregnant mother cats found in recent weeks shows that many offspring are unwanted and that people are overwhelmed, especially during the holiday season. A cat protection regulation that requires all cats that go outside to be neutered, chipped and registered would help. However, the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg has not yet implemented this – although all other federal states have had success with such regulations, at least locally and in some cases for years.
These are Hamburg's first holiday victims
Numerous animals end up in animal shelters these weeks because they are a nuisance to their owners during the holiday season – most of them are abandoned and thus left to an uncertain fate, as the following examples show:
The little 'Pino' was found on June 4, 2024 at the Schmiedekoppel in Niendorf and brought to the police. He was probably acquired without thinking – and now he is in the way of vacation plans. The animal rescue brought the puppy, who was only born at the end of March 2024, to the HTV. There he was nursed back to health, socialized with other dogs – and a new home was found for the little guy.
The Maltese male 'Chip & Chap' were found on June 29, 2024 on a green area on Hallerstrasse in Rotherbaum and brought to the police. 'Chip' was born around 2022, 'Chap' at the end of February this year. The animal rescue service brought the two to the Hamburg animal shelter. The two were not chipped. They have also found a new home.
British Shorthair cat 'Alex' was found on June 29, 2024 in Bremer Reihe in St. Georg and brought to the police. He was abandoned in a transport bag and was wearing a collar with a bell. The animal rescue service brought him to the animal shelter. Before he received pain treatment here, the approximately four-year-old cat suffered from extremely painful hip problems that required surgery.
… and other cats as well as the tortoise 'Otis', the budgie 'Willy', the lionhead crossbreed 'Ella', the corn snake 'Pummel' and the canary 'Connor'.
Abandoning an animal is punishable
If you have any information about these or other animal abandonments, please contact the HTV animal welfare advisory service by telephone: 040 211106–24⁄-12 or by email to tierschutzberatung@hamburger-tierschutzverein.de. The information will be confidential treated.
According to paragraph (§) 3 Paragraph 3 Animal Welfare Act (Animal Welfare Act) it is forbidden to abandon an animal that is kept in a house, business or otherwise in human care, or to leave it behind in order to get rid of it or to evade the owner's or carer's duties. It is irrelevant whether the abandonment creates a concrete or abstract danger for the animal. In principle, tying it to the animal shelter gate also constitutes abandonment. Abandonment is an administrative offence and can be punished with a fine of up to 25,000 euros in accordance with Section 18 Paragraph 1 No. 4 of the Animal Welfare Act. In individual cases, for example if the animal dies as a result of abandonment, this is a criminal offence in accordance with Section 17 of the Animal Welfare Act. This can be punished with a prison sentence of up to three years or a fine.