Free-roaming domestic cats repeatedly catch endangered bird species while hunting. In Walldorf near Heidelberg in Baden-Württemberg, drastic measures are now being taken to combat this threat to species. Accordingly, resident cat owners must ensure that their four-legged friends stay indoors from now until the end of summer. Otherwise you risk fines.
The Rhine-Neckar District Office for Agriculture and Nature Conservation issued a general decree for the area on May 14, 2022. According to this order, domestic cats in the southern part of the city are no longer allowed outside the door until the end of August 2022 and must stay indoors. The scope of this order can be found in the map available: HERE
This order remains valid until 2025 - always during the same period.
Protection of the crested lark
The background to this order is species protection. highest threat category “Red List 1” according to the Red List in Baden-Württemberg and Germany and is currently breeding in the south of Walldorf. It is considered to be critically endangered. This means that the survival of each young bird is extremely important, which is why this ruling is justified.
Fines for violations
Violations of the order are punished with fines of 500 euros. If it can be proven that a particular cat caused an injury or death to a crested lark, the owner could face fines of up to 50,000 euros.
So that cats can leave the house, owners have two options:
- Walks on a two-meter leash
- GPS tracker in order to be able to prove, if necessary, that the cat was not in the affected area
There is headwind from animal rights activists who, together with lawyers, are now trying to stop the measures. For them, this order represents a “disproportionate measure”. It should be examined to what extent this order is proportionate and whether there are other – somewhat milder – means.
“Please keep calm. I assure you that we are doing our best to stop this disproportionate measure.”
Volker Stutz, chairman of the Wiesloch/Walldorf animal protection association
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Source: Rhein-Neckar-Kreis District Office , Rhein-Neckar-Zeitung , mangfall24.de
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