Animal shelter crisis in the Göttingen district: CDU and FDP demand quick solutions!

Animal shelter crisis in the Göttingen district: CDU and FDP demand quick solutions!

The situation at animal shelters in the Göttingen district has been tense for some time. What particularly stands out is the closure of the Göttingen animal shelter in 2023, which has left a drastic gap in supplies. How myregion365.de reported that the reasons for the closure were primarily poor hygienic conditions, inadequate veterinary care and staff who were sometimes overwhelmed and often poorly trained. Much to the dissatisfaction of animal protection organizations and citizens, the contract with the animal shelter was terminated and operations ceased.

The former animal shelter is now even scheduled to be demolished, while a new building is not yet in sight. The Duderstadt animal shelter is currently the only larger facility in the area that takes care of lost and surrendered animals. But the situation there is also tense: the facility is reaching its capacity limits, which means that comprehensive care and care for the animals can no longer be guaranteed. This particularly affects dogs and cats, whose taxes have increased due to the housing shortage and rising veterinary costs.

A new concept for animal shelter care

Against this background, the FDP parliamentary group has submitted a proposal to the Göttingen district council to establish an interfactional and intercommunal working group. The goal of this working group? The development of a concept for a central animal shelter location in the district. Together with the CDU district council group, active participation is sought in order to solve the supply problem sustainably. The working group is intended to bring together representatives of animal protection associations, volunteers, municipal representatives and regional institutions.

Given the current circumstances, a future concept for a modern animal shelter with a stable financing basis is urgently needed in order to provide the animals with adequate care. Before its closure, the Göttingen animal shelter was a first point of contact for animal protection in the region, where people could adopt animals or give up their own. The local animal protection association offered extensive support in the placement of dogs, cats, small animals, birds and even reptiles, as shown animalshelter.com is described.

The role of animal shelters in society

Society is increasingly aware of the issues of animal protection and animal welfare. This is also reflected in the surveys on animal husbandry and animal welfare. Around 34 million pets live in German households, with dogs being the most popular pet. In the current discussion it is often clear that the responsibility for the welfare of animals lies with the animal owners. Local veterinarians and clinics are always available to offer medical care.

In addition, interest in animal protection is growing in society. Around 8.3 percent of private donations in Germany go to animal protection, which means that animal protection organizations also play a central role in consumer awareness statista.com. Ultimately, the issue of animal welfare - which not only concerns the needs of animals, but also their species-appropriate husbandry - has become more mainstream in society instead of a marginal issue.

The burgeoning discussion and commitment from local politicians can therefore be seen as a positive signal. At a time when the circumstances of animal shelters have to change, it is clear that there is also a great interest on the part of citizens and municipalities in taking the welfare of animals seriously and finding appropriate solutions.