The German Animal Welfare Association (DTB) has sharply criticized the lack of sufficient financial support provided by the federal government to local animal shelters. Thomas Schröder, the association’s president, told the “Rheinische Post” (Thursday edition) that politicians must finally ensure that shelters can reliably fulfill their duties. He noted that while the need for animal assistance is constantly rising, the costs associated with personnel, energy, and veterinary care have climbed dramatically.
The DTB filed a lawsuit against the federal government with the Cologne Administrative Court at the end of last May. Although the financial responsibility for animal protection is technically a matter for the individual states and municipalities, the association points to the German Basic Law, which explicitly designates animal welfare as a national objective.
“Even though animal welfare has been recognized as a national ideal within the Basic Law for more than two decades, the situation in the animal shelters is precarious,” Schröder stated. He stressed that political indifference to practical animal welfare must come to an end, arguing that shelters are nearing a point where they can barely continue their essential work without adequate support.
Schröder further highlighted a perceived hypocrisy in public spending. He drew a parallel to the “sports billion,” which demonstrates that the federal government contributes to the financing of sports infrastructure despite it falling under municipal responsibility. “Meanwhile, animal shelters are left without adequate funds-with the justification that their financing is solely a local affair. It appears much easier for politicians to allocate money for artificial turf than for animals in distress,” Schröder criticized.
