Dresden animal shelter places 417 of its residents

The Dresden animal shelter placed 417 of its residents last year (previous year: 538), giving them a new home. Almost half of these (52 percent) were cats, plus 11 percent dogs and 37 percent other animals, the municipal facility announced in its annual report. The animal shelter receives around 100 inquiries a week. In total, there are 60 places for dogs, 90 for cats and 100 for other species. The municipal subsidy amounted to around 235,000 euros.

"Animal hoarding" - far too many animals in one apartment

In 2020, the Dresden animal shelter took in 861 new residents, including 191 dogs and 383 cats. In the previous year, the total was 949. Around 300 were handed in as found animals. The shelter was also confronted with two cases of animal hoarding. This refers to the compulsive keeping of a large number of animals. For example, 45 cats were recovered from an apartment, all of which were in surprisingly good condition, according to Lutz Meißner, Head of the Animal Welfare and Disease Control Department at the Veterinary Office. The other case involved 42 pigeons.

The nine employees also had to deal with aggressive pet owners. One man repeatedly tried to pick up his dog, which was being kept here as a compulsory foster home.

After an increase in admission fees, the animal shelter was able to increase its income to just under 199,000 euros. In the previous year, the sum was around 139,000 euros. There are currently 44 animals up for adoption. Animal lovers can find out more about the services on the facility's website.