Photos from German Animal Welfare Association, State Association of Bavaria E.V.
As the illegal trade in animals is on the rise in Germany, the lives of 72 innocent puppies were saved last Sunday after border police rescued them from a van near the city of Waidhaus in Bavaria.
According to the Bavarian State Association of the German Animal Welfare Association, most of the animals were under 12 weeks old and therefore not old enough to be imported into Germany. The van was on its way from Slovakia to Portugal. Several of the puppies of different breeds were dehydrated and almost all of them were infested with parasites.
“Five puppies had to be taken care of immediately,” noted a post on the organization’s Facebook page. “For them, continuing the journey would have meant certain death.”
After being examined by a veterinarian, the animals were sent to various animal shelters in Bavaria. “We would like to thank our state association in Bavaria and the affected animal shelters for their commitment and for the quick help for the animals. It is a mammoth task to suddenly take in and care for so many puppies,” concluded the post.
Every year, the German Animal Welfare Association evaluates cases of the illegal pet trade. The results make it clear that the increased demand for pets since the beginning of the COVID pandemic has massively influenced and driven the illegal puppy trade.
In 2021, there was almost a doubling of cases and illegally traded dogs compared to the previous year. Dogs were transported in over 90% of the 339 known cases of the illegal trade; 1,938 dogs in total were affected. The number of unreported cases is likely to be much higher. When the number of cases and affected dogs in 2021 is compared with those documented in 2019, they have even increased fivefold.
“The merciless business with the puppies continues, without regard to the welfare of the animals,” Dr. Romy Zeller, specialist for pets at the German Animal Welfare Association, said in a statement. “In order to contain the problem, transnational measures would have to be taken. For example, a Europe-wide obligation to identify and register animals, regulation of internet trade, increased education, increased controls, and tougher penalties for offenders.”
