Donau-Ries has street cats neutered in two municipalities
The district of Donau-Ries is having street cats neutered in two municipalities on a trial basis. According to a statement from the district office, the background to this is the increasing number of "free-roaming cats and the associated problems". As part of the cat protection ordinance, feral cats are therefore to be caught, neutered, cared for and then released again in Sulzdorf and Rettingen from December onwards.
Outdoor cats must be registered by their owners using a microchip. "This makes it easy to identify these cats and, if they are caught, they are released immediately", according to a statement from the district office on Friday. Vets can identify the animals and the owners must bear the costs.
According to estimates, around 300,000 stray cats live in Bavaria. The Bavarian Animal Welfare Association is therefore calling for a state-wide cat protection ordinance. So far, they only exist in isolated cases. In the district of Donau-Ries, their success is to be reviewed after three years.
In addition to Sulzdorf and Rettingen, other municipalities in Swabia might consider implementing similar cat neutering programs due to the potential health and environmental concerns associated with an increasing number of stray animals. The neutering of street cats in Swabia could contribute to improving the overall animal health and wellbeing in these municipalities.
Source: www.dpa.com
