As of: March 26, 2024, 7:51 p.m
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An emergency dog: The eight-year-old Jack Russell terrier “Jack” was taken into the animal shelter by Silvia Gruber because his owner is dying.
The lively and cuddly male is looking for a new place with people who can do justice to his breed.
© Simone Wester
Due to overcrowding, the Dachau animal shelter only accepts emergencies - online pet trading is one reason.
Dachau – “We only accept absolute emergencies, otherwise we will have an admission stop,” says Silvia Gruber, head of the Dachau animal shelter.
In addition to found animals, which of course always have to be taken in, according to Gruber, emergencies only include dogs and cats that lose their homes due to the death, serious illness or hospitalization of their owners.
Gruber reports that 14 dogs and 70 cats are currently housed in the Dachau animal shelter.
The main reason is online trading
The main reason for the overcrowding of the animal shelter is ultimately due to the online trade in dogs and cats.
Dogs and cats are sold more cheaply via internet platforms such as “classifieds” than through breeders; interested parties are only guided by the appearance of the animals, and breed-specific needs are not taken into account.
“People see pictures of supposedly poor dogs and get them without first thinking about whether they can do justice to the breed,” says Gruber about her everyday life.
If there are behavioral problems, such as snapping or growling, you will be taken to the animal shelter immediately.
“If the animals then exhibit behavioral problems and become a nuisance, or if veterinary costs arise, they are deported – to the animal shelter.”
For many people, a dog school would also be out of the question for cost reasons, regrets Silvia Gruber.
“The dog suddenly no longer fits into working life, is not allowed to move, or people can no longer cope with the dog's behavior.” Sometimes the dog owners stand in front of the door of the Dachau animal shelter and want to get rid of their four-legged friend immediately, reports Silvia Gruber.
When cats become uncomfortable or sick
The situation is similar with cats.
If they become uncomfortable or sick, the animal shelter should be ready.
Many pet owners don't want to spend a cent on their pet's treatment.
“Some people bring us their sick cat and then want to take another one with them” – Silvia Gruber, who has seen a lot in animal protection over the decades, is horrified at how “selfish” people have become these days.
“People no longer develop a relationship with their animals and even take their deaths into account,” Silvia Gruber experiences again and again.
Animal rights activists go out almost every day “to pick up injured, often half-dead and dead cats from the streets,” says Gruber.
These cats are very often neither chipped nor registered, so no one seems to miss these animals.
“We have one to three dead cats every day,” explains Silvia Gruber, who is often at the animal shelter until midnight to feed “her” cats, which she calls all by name, to pet them, to give them medication and just for them to be there.
Silvia Gruber and her team draw attention to the increasing cat population.
The uncontrolled proliferation could be curbed if pet owners had their cats castrated.
But what Gruber often hears from the owners: “We don’t have them castrated, they’ll be driven away anyway.”
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It's best to think carefully beforehand
No castration, no identification, and in the event of illness, the animals - whether dogs or cats - are simply handed over to the animal shelter.
“In addition to behavioral problems, the main reason for surrender is now veterinary costs,” the animal rights activist said.
Gruber is connected to around 140 animal protection associations throughout Germany via a WhatsApp group.
They receive calls for help every day asking whether Dachau can still take in animals.
The animal rights activist warns against purchasing an animal without first thinking about it.
Especially not via internet platforms.
The animals are often imported illegally, taken away from their mother too early and are sick.
“These people won’t take the animals back anymore,” warns Gruber.
With a reputable breeder, where dogs and cats cost significantly more, and of course with an animal from an animal shelter, you always have the guarantee that you can go there again.
“I have to think about whether I can do justice to an animal beforehand,” says the animal shelter manager.
Vacation, illness, veterinary costs, moving – you have to weigh all of this carefully beforehand.
“If a cat is hit, the treatment costs can quickly add up to 5,000 to 6,000 euros,” explains Silvia Gruber.
Costs that many people can no longer or do not want to pay these days.
“Then I'll just get a new one,” Silvia Gruber has to hear every week.
She advises everyone to get detailed advice from the Dachau animal shelter before purchasing an animal.
This would avoid a lot of the suffering that Dachau animal rights activists are currently experiencing, says Gruber.
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You can read more news from the Dachau region here.