The German Animal Welfare Federation is sounding the alarm because, even after more than two years of a coalition government with a traffic light coalition, it is still completely uncertain when and how the Federal Government intends to tackle the amendment to the Animal Welfare Act announced in the coalition agreement and other urgent animal welfare projects. Time is running out in the current legislative period and the Chancellor and the government he leads are missing a unique opportunity to finally draw up an animal protection law that is worthy of the name and does justice to the state objective of animal protection in the Basic Law.
"The negotiations on the amendment of the Animal Welfare Act appear to be completely deadlocked, which makes us angry and bewildered. The lofty words with which promising plans were enshrined in the coalition agreement two years ago appear to have been nothing but hot air," criticizes Thomas Schröder, President of the German Animal Welfare Federation. While the FDP, as the fundamental opposition within the government, is putting the future of agriculture in Germany at risk, its coalition partners are allowing themselves to be taken for a ride by individual ministers. Animal rights activist Schröder therefore addresses the Federal Chancellor: "Mr. Scholz, you campaigned by putting respect first. Now you can prove how serious you are about it. Respect must also include our animal fellow creatures. As Federal Chancellor, you must make use of your authority to issue directives. We need you to put your foot down now. The social majority for more animal protection is there, use it!"
SEIZE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR ANIMAL PROTECTION LAW
Instead of ensuring the protection of animals, the Animal Welfare Act currently regulates how animals can be used. The German Animal Welfare Federation fears that if a draft bill for a new Animal Welfare Act is not passed in the next few months, the current federal government will leave office without a single animal being better off. Worse still, the issue would probably not be raised again for a long time. "If there is no hope for the animals in our country under a Green Minister of Agriculture and such a strong coalition agreement, when will there be? Especially at a time when the question of how we treat animals also has such a decisive influence on the climate, biodiversity and major ecological relationships, looking the other way is unjustifiable," said Schröder. "Action must be taken now!"
IMPLEMENTATION OF FURTHER ANIMAL WELFARE PROMISES IS A LONG TIME COMING
Apart from the appointment of a Federal Animal Welfare Commissioner, none of the government's numerous animal welfare promises have yet been fulfilled as contractually agreed. In addition to the amendment of the Animal Welfare Act, this also includes the long overdue strategy for the necessary transformation of agricultural animal husbandry and a reduction strategy for animal testing. The promised foundation for animal shelters, which are completely overburdened as a result of government failure, is also still a long way off. Also nowhere in sight are the announced identity checks for the online pet trade and the mandatory identification and registration of dogs, which would be important for curbing the illegal puppy trade and relieving the burden on animal shelters and local authorities.
Note to editors: With the current campaign "More animal protection now!", the German Animal Welfare Federation is reminding the current federal government of the promises it made in the coalition agreement. On the campaign website www.jetzt-mehr-tierschutz.de, the federation also shows what needs to change in the German Animal Welfare Act: www.jetzt-mehr-tierschutz.de/tierschutzgesetz
