Uninvited guest

Small gecko hid in vacation luggage

This little gecko traveled to Austria unintentionally(Bild: Tierschutz Austria)

A vacationer certainly didn't expect this souvenir. He discovered a gecko in his suitcase. The small exotic animal is recovering from its journey at the Vösendorf Animal Welfare Center.

It's not unusual to take a few souvenirs for friends and family on vacation. But having an animal passenger in your suitcase is. This unfortunate situation recently befell a vacationer. He discovered a small gecko in his suitcase that had made itself at home.

The man brought the exotic animal to the Vösendorf animal sanctuary in the district of Mödling, where the little gecko is now safe.

The little gecko finds refuge at Tierschutz Austria(Bild: Tierschutz Austria)

Tips from experts
Tierschutz Austria explains what to look out for when packing and how to react correctly in such a situation ahead of the upcoming vacation season. 

Tips from Tierschutz Austria

1. Before packing, the luggage should be checked thoroughly to ensure that no unwanted guests have been packed.
2. Make sure the animal is safe and poses no immediate danger to you or others. Avoid direct contact, especially if you are not sure whether the animal is poisonous or dangerous. In such cases, an expert should be contacted.
3. It is best to contact the nearest animal welfare organization or animal shelter. Experts can give instructions on how to proceed and bring the animal to safety.
4. The animal should be provided with an appropriate temporary environment and care. If it is an animal from a warmer climate, special care must be taken to ensure that it is kept adequately warm to avoid hypothermia.
5. Suitable containers such as jam jars with a piece of cloth on top to ensure sufficient oxygen can serve as a temporary solution.

Smuggling animals into Austria
"Fortunately, it doesn't happen too often that animals are accidentally taken from abroad," emphasizes Stephan Scheidl, head of the animal shelter in Vösendorf. "Much more often, we are confronted with the sad phenomenon of people deliberately importing illegal animals into Austria, which are then kept in inappropriate conditions and end up at our animal shelter." 

In animal emergencies, the Animal Welfare Austria emergency number can be reached 24/7 on 01/ 699 24 80.