The city of Karlsruhe's new cat protection ordinance will come into force on January 1st, 2024

Introduction

The "Cat Protection Ordinance of the City of Karlsruhe", which was passed in June 2023 and comes into force on January 1, 2024, is an important step towards promoting animal protection and controlling the population of free-roaming cats in the city. This regulation, based on the Animal Welfare Act, aims to reduce the suffering and health risks to free-roaming and free-roaming cats by imposing specific measures such as neutering, identification and registration requirements for cat owners. These measures are intended not only to ensure the well-being of the animals, but also to harmonize the coexistence of humans and animals in the urban environment of Karlsruhe.

Overview

The Cat Protection Ordinance, published in June 2023, will come into force on January 1, 2024 and aims to improve the welfare of free-roaming cats in the city. Here is a comprehensive summary:

1. Scope : The “Cat Protection Ordinance of the City of Karlsruhe” applies to the entire urban area of ​​Karlsruhe.
2. Aim of the regulation : The main purpose of the new cat protection regulation is to protect wild cats from suffering and harm.
3. Definitions : In the “Cat Protection Ordinance of the City of Karlsruhe” terms such as “cat”, “free-living cat” and “cat owner” are defined.
4. Obligations for cat owners : According to the “Cat Protection Ordinance of the City of Karlsruhe”, free-roaming owner cats must be neutered, identified and registered.
5. Compulsory castration : The “Cat Protection Ordinance of the City of Karlsruhe” requires the castration of free-roaming owner cats.
6. Identification and registration : The “Cat Protection Ordinance of the City of Karlsruhe” requires that owner cats be identified by a microchip or an ear tattoo and entered in a pet register.
7. Registration services : The “Cat Protection Ordinance of the City of Karlsruhe” names Tasso eV or FINDEFIX as possible registration centers.
8. Proof of castration and registration : According to the "Cat Protection Ordinance of the City of Karlsruhe", proof of castration and registration must be presented upon request.
9. Exceptions : The “Cat Protection Ordinance of the City of Karlsruhe” provides for possible exceptions to the castration requirement.
10. Measures against cat owners : The “Cat Protection Ordinance of the City of Karlsruhe” enables measures against cat owners who do not comply with the regulations.
11. Measures against wild cats : The “Cat Protection Ordinance of the City of Karlsruhe” allows the city to castrate, label and register wild cats.
12. Authorization of the city of Karlsruhe : According to the “Cat Protection Ordinance of the City of Karlsruhe”, the city of Karlsruhe can take action to ensure compliance with the ordinance.
13. Proportionality of the measures : The “Cat Protection Ordinance of the City of Karlsruhe” emphasizes proportionality and animal protection.
14. Responsibility of the owners : The “Cat Protection Ordinance of the City of Karlsruhe” also obliges owners who are not owners to tolerate the measures.
15. Support from owners : According to the “Cat Protection Ordinance of the City of Karlsruhe”, owners must provide support when catching cats on their property.
16. Adjustment period : The “Cat Protection Ordinance of the City of Karlsruhe” gives cat owners six months to adjust to the new regulations.
17. Advantages of the regulation : The “Cat Protection Ordinance of the City of Karlsruhe” is intended to reduce the risk of illness and traffic accidents for cats.
18. Public interest : The “Cat Protection Ordinance of the City of Karlsruhe” serves the public interest by addressing the suffering and overpopulation of free-roaming cats.

What exceptions are there?

The “Cat Protection Ordinance of the City of Karlsruhe” provides for exceptions to the castration requirement for free-roaming owner cats. These exceptions allow cat owners, under certain circumstances, to exempt their cats from otherwise mandatory neutering. The specific criteria or conditions for such exemptions are set out in the Regulation as follows:

1. Application for exceptions : Cat owners can apply to the city of Karlsruhe for an exception to the castration requirement.
2. Consideration of individual cases : The decision to grant an exception is made on an individual basis. This means that each case is considered and evaluated individually.
3. Balancing of interests : When deciding on an exception, a balance is made between the public interests of animal protection and the individual interests of cat owners.
4. Possible animal welfare concerns : The regulation also takes into account that in some cases animal welfare concerns may play a role that speaks against castration.
5. Compliance with the principle of proportionality : The possibility of exceptions serves to preserve the principle of proportionality, which ensures that the measures in the regulation do not go beyond what is necessary.

In summary, exceptions to the castration requirement can be granted if special circumstances justify this and the various interests are carefully weighed up.

How much does it cost to neuter a tomcat or microchipped cat?

The cost of neutering a male or female cat and additional microchipping can vary depending on the region, veterinary practice and specific circumstances. Here are general estimates for Germany:

1. Castration of a tomcat : The cost of castration of a tomcat is usually between 100 and 180 euros.
2. Castration of a cat : Castration of a cat is usually a little more expensive than a tomcat because the procedure is more complicated. The costs can be between 175 and 250 euros.
3. Chipping : Inserting a microchip costs on average around 20 to 40 euros. The microchip is used to identify the animal and is in many cases required for registration in a pet registry.

In summary, the total costs for neutering and chipping a male cat can be around 120 to 220 euros and for a cat around 205 to 290 euros. It should be noted that this information is only a guideline. The exact costs should be inquired directly from the respective veterinary practice . In some cases, veterinarians offer package prices for neutering and microchipping, which may be cheaper. There are also regional differences and different pricing structures in different practices.