As of: February 22, 2024, 4:18 p.m
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A young cat plays in an apartment.
© Julian Stratenschulte/dpa
Bred characteristics such as floppy ears or big eyes can cause affected animals a lot of suffering.
For some pet owners, this is not an obstacle, as a shocking discovery in Berlin shows.
Berlin - The veterinary office in the Berlin district of Marzahn-Hellersdorf has rescued 48 cats of a torture-bred breed from a two-room apartment.
The animals of the Ukrainian-Levkoy breed sometimes had severe physical impairments and breeding-related genetic defects, as the Marzahn-Hellersdorf district office announced on Thursday.
Some of the animals were pregnant.
The animal owner resisted official measures during the rescue operation last Saturday, which is why access to the apartment had to be forced with the support of the police.
He was unable to provide any information about how many animals lived with him.
According to authorities, the naked cats were distributed to voluntary foster homes in several federal states, where they receive veterinary care.
Owner faces “significant fine”
“With the dissolution of this attitude, the last breeding of Ukrainian Levkoy cats in Germany was probably stopped,” explained the district office.
The former owner was banned from keeping animals.
The man also faces a “significant fine”.
The Ukrainian Levkoy cat is a mating of two breeds, both of which have torment breeding traits.
Cruel breeding means that animals lead a life of pain and damage because of their bred characteristics, as the German Animal Welfare Association explains on its website.
It is banned in Germany, as a spokesman for the district office explained.
Ukrainian Levkoy cats have missing whiskers and bent ears.
According to the district office, many of the animals also suffer from severe skeletal changes and deformed limbs and tails.
Unfortunately, there are always cases in which animals intentionally suffer lifelong restrictions and pain as a result of breeding, said Steffen Mehl, the district's official veterinarian.
“There are usually tangible financial interests of the “breeders” behind it.” dpa