Unfortunately, young animals increasingly end up as gifts under the Christmas tree. However, the happy moments for the animal often end later in an animal shelter or even much worse. That is why the decision to get a pet should be very carefully considered.
“When animals become gifts, ignorance, carelessness, impatience, or even economic reasons can lead to animal suffering,” said Secretary of State Sebastian Thul. “After the first few days of joy, children often quickly lose interest in the animals, and adults lose patience when the daily care effort seems unmanageable.”
The animal often does not meet the desired expectations either – rabbits nibble on cables, cats like to mark their new environment with urine, and puppies are often not house-trained yet. "Animals should therefore definitely not be put into a gift box," says Thul. "A pet means a long-term commitment – depending on the animal's lifespan, up to 20 years."
Before an animal is taken into a family, it is therefore necessary to thoroughly consider some questions. These range from
If, after answering these questions, you still want to take in an animal as a family member, you can find more information on the homepage of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture at: www.haustier-berater.de
The Saarland ministry also warns against buying animals from the proverbial trunk, from the internet, or from nationwide classified ads.
Further information and questions on the topic can be found online at: https://www.saarland.de/tiere-sind-keine-geschenke.
