Strained Animal Shelters: Call for Extensive Feline Protection Legislation
In a bid to address the growing issue of stray cats and curb the spread of certain cat diseases, the city of Crailsheim, located in the district of Schwäbisch Hall, has introduced a compulsory cat protection ordinance. This move has been welcomed by the chairwoman of the Crailsheim animal protection association, Claudia Hofmann, who has observed an enormous increase in cats, particularly since the increase in veterinary costs in 2022.
Under the new ordinance, anyone in Crailsheim who has a free-roaming cat must have it compulsorily neutered, identified, and registered. The animal shelter in Crailsheim, which is grateful for the implementation of the ordinance, sees it as a significant step forward. However, they are still dependent on donations to neuter strays.
The purpose of the ordinance is to prevent the uncontrolled breeding of cats. Similar calls for action can be heard from animal welfare advocates in Heilbronn-Franken, where the chairwoman of the Heilbronn animal protection association, Silke Anders, has been campaigning for a comprehensive cat protection ordinance since 2021.
The animal shelter in Bad Mergentheim (Main-Tauber district) is currently full due to the high number of stray cats. Last year, the Heilbronn animal protection association took in over 1,100 cats. With the new cat protection ordinance, the animal shelter in Crailsheim now has new possibilities, as owners can no longer refuse to have their house cats neutered.
While Germany mandates cat microchipping and vaccinations, details on stray cat-specific policies and their measured impacts remain unavailable from the search results. Studies and practices around cat population management emphasize approaches like trap-neuter-return (TNR), neutering younger cats, and community education as key to controlling unowned cat populations. These insights come mostly from UK studies but reflect broader scientific consensus on managing feral and stray cats.
In Osnabrück, Lower Saxony, a neutering obligation was introduced in 2012. In 2021, only 51 cats had to be neutered instead of 300, demonstrating the effectiveness of cat protection ordinances. However, it is reasonable to infer that effective management of stray cats requires ongoing neutering programs, community involvement, and tailored local strategies rather than relying on single, comprehensive laws.
Despite the efforts in Crailsheim, the cat population in the city has increased by 70 percent in the last four years. Jasmin Paul, the second chairwoman of the animal shelter in Bad Mergentheim, reports that no more cats can be taken in at the moment. It is clear that more needs to be done to address this issue and ensure the welfare of stray cats across Germany.
- The new compulsory cat protection ordinance in Crailsheim aims to control the increasing cat population and prevent uncontrolled breeding, following the example set by Osnabrück in 2012.
- Aside from the Crailsheim cat protection ordinance, the implementation of community-driven strategies like trap-neuter-return (TNR), education, and neutering younger cats are crucial to effectively manage stray cat populations, as suggested by UK studies.
