Various factors such as holiday commitments, economic hardships, and impulsive adoptions contribute to the increasing number of pets being surrendered by their owners.
Animal shelters across Luxembourg face a perpetual influx of animals seeking refuge, with not a week passing without receiving requests for assistance.
Despite moving into a new facility in 2021, the animal shelter in Schifflange finds itself consistently at full capacity, particularly with regards to housing dogs. The limited space, consisting of five cages which are occasionally occupied by two dogs at the same time, often leads to temporary arrangements in alternative spaces. Complicating matters further are cases involving confiscated dogs awaiting legal proceedings, tying up resources that could otherwise accommodate new arrivals. The shelter operates with a waiting list and regularly fields calls from individuals who no longer want to keep their pets.
While efforts are made to facilitate solutions within families or through referrals to other organisations, the challenges persist across all shelters.
Capacity strain: "No longer manageable"
Luxembourg is home to four animal shelters dedicated to the care of dogs and cats, located in Esch-sur-Alzette, Dudelange, Schifflange, and Gasperich. At the moment, there are still places available for cats. A lot of kittens are typically born in spring and autumn, so the shelters are bracing for an influx in that regard. However, the situation remains relatively quiet for the time being.
In contrast, the situation for dogs is dire, with all shelters operating at full capacity and maintaining waiting lists due to overwhelming demand. The numbers paint a stark picture: Dudelange has ten dogs on its waiting list, Esch-sur-Alzette five to six, and Schifflange six. The Gasperich shelter also works with a waiting list, but this one is "constantly changing." In general, the situation would be extremely difficult to manage, Liliane Ferron from the shelter in Gasperich told our colleagues from RTL Télé.
The Gasperich animal shelter boasts the largest capacity at 76 cages. By comparison, there are five in Schifflange, eleven in Esch-sur-Alzette, and only four in Dudelange. The shelter in Dudelange places an emphasis on group housing and could take in a maximum of 20 dogs at a time.
In total, Luxembourg's shelters can accommodate 96 dogs, yet at least 21 dogs are currently awaiting placement, excluding those on Gasperich's waiting list.
A fifth animal shelter?
Nearly a year ago, the Ministry of Agriculture issued an appeal to municipalities, calling for the establishment of a fifth animal shelter. The initiative involves identifying a suitable location for the new facility and appointing an association to oversee its management. Bérit Majeres, responsible for animal welfare at the Ministry, underscores the urgency: "It wouldn't be a bad idea to have a structure in the north. But even that is a short-term solution, because at some point this animal shelter will also be full if we carry on like this. So, the long-term solution lies in individual accountability."
Meanwhile, efforts are underway to enhance existing facilities, with Dudelange's shelter undergoing expansion and Gasperich set to welcome a new cat house. The Ministry of Agriculture contributes 30% toward the construction or extension of such facilities.
Beyond dogs and cats
Emergency situations involving pets extend beyond dogs and cats, prompting the involvement of private associations like Hamster.lu. Founded by Dan Thill and his team seven years ago, the non-profit aims to provide sanctuary for smaller animals often overlooked by traditional shelters. Thill emphasises the importance of raising awareness about the care of hamsters and other rodents while facilitating their rescue and rehoming.
Furthermore, Dudelange's wildlife centre has expanded its scope to include treatment for exotic animals, filling a void in Luxembourg's animal welfare infrastructure. "We started doing this somewhat out of necessity, because there was no structure in Luxembourg that could take in these animals," says Jill Gaasch from the rescue centre. "The problem was that people kept finding parrots or similar animals and nobody knew where they could be handed in. We have aviaries, even if they were originally intended for wild animals, but that's basically how it started," according to Gaasch.
Expansion plans are also underway for the wildlife centre in Dudelange to create more space for wild animals as well as exotic animals. The latter usually need a place until they are adopted. And that is what all of these animals have in common: they are all looking for new owners that will look after them for the rest of their lives.
Full report by RTL Télé (in Luxembourgish)
