Greyhound Jerry, who the German Animal Welfare Federation is presenting as January's “Shelter Animal of the Month”, already has a dark past behind him at just three years old: the veterinary office confiscated him at the beginning of 2022 along with 52 other greyhounds from a small house in Winterbach in Rhineland-Palatinate. The animals were stacked in wire cages in a dark room and left to fend for themselves most of the time. According to the German Animal Welfare Federation, animal hoarding, the addiction to collecting animals, is a major animal welfare problem. The case of Jerry is particularly cruel.
“Jerry was neglected and malnourished when he came to the animal shelter with nine other Greyhounds, where we lovingly nursed him back to health,” says Ulrike Kronauer from the Oberstmuhl animal shelter. However, the sensitive and cuddly male dog has not yet found a new home. “He is a soul of a dog who deserves to rediscover the world. What he doesn't know yet, however, is how to walk with a harness and lead, even though we are already working with professional support to slowly get him used to it. We are therefore looking for people who have a lot of time and patience to work with Jerry on his insecurities,” says Kronauer. In his new home, an escape-proof garden where the male dog can run free and romp around until he is used to a harness and lead for walks is absolutely essential. As Jerry already knows children, a household with older children would be conceivable. A compatible second dog with whom Jerry could get used to would be desirable. All information about Jerry and the contact details of the Oberstmuhl animal shelter can be found at www.tierheime-helfen.de/tierheimtier-des-monats.
INCREASING NUMBERS OF ANIMALS AND CASES OF ANIMAL HOARDING
Animal hoarding can be translated as animal collecting addiction or animal hoarding. It describes a condition in which people keep large numbers of animals but no longer provide them with adequate care. There is a lack of food, water, hygiene, care and veterinary care. The owners do not realize that the animals in their care are suffering. Cases like that of Jerry and his fellow animals are not uncommon: the German Animal Welfare Federation, which has been evaluating data and information on known cases of animal hoarding in Germany since 2008, most recently - for the year 2021 - came up with 4,218 hoarded animals in 68 cases. In the last ten years, a total of at least 30,567 animals were affected. “Both the number of animals and the number of cases are on the rise,” says Nina Brakebusch, a specialist at the German Animal Welfare Federation. “However, it is unclear whether this means that more and more animals are being hoarded or whether increased sensitivity on the part of the authorities and the public is leading to more cases being uncovered. In any case, a high number of unreported cases can be assumed.”
ABOUT THE “SHELTER ANIMAL OF THE MONTH” CAMPAIGN:
With the “Shelter Animal of the Month” campaign, the German Animal Welfare Federation supports animal shelters as part of its campaign “Tierheime helfen. Help animal shelters!” (www.tierheime-helfen.de) campaign, the German Animal Welfare Federation supports its member associations in their search for a suitable family for shelter residents who are having a harder time finding a new home.
Note to editors: The “Animal Hoarding Evaluation 2012-2021” of the German Animal Welfare Federation is available on request.
