Puppy rescued from garbage: The sad case of Göttingen!

Puppy rescued from garbage: The sad case of Göttingen!

A tragic incident recently drew attention to the illegal puppy trade in Göttingen. A severely weakened Maltese puppy was discovered in a paper bin by waste disposal company employees. The little guy came to the Duderstadt animal shelter not only with a sticky eye, but also with inflamed ears, where he is now being cared for. Such small strays often come from problematic apartment blocks, such as the one on Groner Landstrasse, where the puppy presumably comes from. However, the police consider this to be speculation and do not yet have any concrete information about the animal's origin while they are investigating a violation of the Animal Welfare Act.

The waste disposal company employees show compassion, and one of them even considers adopting the puppy. However, the animal shelter points out that not only this puppy is looking for a new home, but that many other dogs are also waiting for a loving home.

Background to the puppy trade

The incident in Göttingen makes it clear that the illegal puppy trade is a serious problem. In a recent evaluation, the German Animal Welfare Association confirmed that the trade in pets, especially puppies, remains consistently high. In 2024, 224 cases of illegal pet trafficking were documented, involving at least 991 animals, including 515 dogs and 66 cats. Many of these animals, including commonly affected breeds such as Maltese and French Bulldogs, were often too young and already showing signs of illness, leading to numerous confiscations. The trade in these animals is mainly organized from Romania, which has been known as the main country of origin for nine years. [Tierschutzbund] also emphasizes that existing regulations in the coalition agreement between the CDU, CSU and SPD with regard to the animal sector are only vague.

The planned measures to curb illegal trade include a ban on the anonymous online sale of animals, but the exact implementation remains unclear. There are growing calls for comprehensive microchip identification and registration of dogs and cats to ensure clear identification.

The chances for animal protection laws

The problem of illegal animal trade does not only concern individual animals. It also leads to a financial burden on German animal shelters, which have to care for the numerous confiscated animals. The German Animal Welfare Association is calling for clear and strict laws that ensure that animals are no longer allowed to be sold over the Internet. Public mobilization and a joint advocacy for better animal protection could help to change the situation and reduce the suffering of animals.

The current case of the puppy from Göttingen has not only provided insights into the dark side of the pet trade, but also shed light on the urgent need to revise the laws and take animal protection seriously. In this sense, it is crucial that animal protection organizations and committed citizens continue to pull together to focus on the welfare of animals.

You can find more information at ndr.de, tierschutzbund.de and jugendtierschutz.de.