Financial help

Why animal shelters are now acting as donors themselves

The eight animal shelters collect donations for private neutering projects.(Bild: NÖ Tierschutzverband)

Normally, animal shelters rely on financial help themselves, but now they are handing over a check. In doing so, they are supporting private institutions, which in turn relieve them of important work. And they are hoping for a "Christmas present" from politicians and companies.

The eight animal shelters of the Lower Austrian Animal Welfare Association help private initiatives that look after unneutered strays and thus reduce domestic cat misery. Although owners of outdoor cats have been obliged to neuter them for 20 years, the law is too lax, they criticize. "You can only make pet owners liable if cats can be clearly assigned to an owner. Without a parallel obligation to chip cats, the obligation to neuter them unfortunately only exists on paper," Andrea Specht, President of the Lower Austrian Animal Welfare Association, criticizes the legal situation.

Hardly manageable
The consequences of unchecked reproduction are borne by the animal shelters, which are often overcrowded with around 600 to 700 cats in total. "Kittens from rural areas are usually sick, suffer from parasites, purulent discharge, cat flu or the consequences of inbreeding. In addition to the need for accommodation, there are also enormous veterinary costs that our animal shelters can barely cope with," says Specht.

The care of strays is often associated with high veterinary costs.(Bild: NÖ Tierschutzverband)

In order to neuter as many outdoor cats as possible, the shelters work together with private initiatives. They often sacrifice all their free time and personal resources to care for neglected stray cats. "We couldn't do our work without their commitment. The volunteer animal welfare activists catch cats, nurse them back to health and ensure they are neutered," explains Specht.

25,000 euros from the budget
However, they do not receive any public funding for this. The animal shelters in Baden, Bruck, Brunn, Dechanthof, Krems, St. Pölten, Ternitz and Wiener Neustadt have therefore decided to give them 25,000 euros from their limited budgets. However, Specht is also hoping for animal-friendly politicians, entrepreneurs and private individuals: "It would be a wonderful Christmas present if we could double the amount and help even more poor stray cats together."

The animal shelters are also happy to receive financial support:
Donation account AT25 2025 6000 0091 2147