College: 1,500 dead tarantulas discovered in the biscuit package from Vietnam!

College: 1,500 dead tarantulas discovered in the biscuit package from Vietnam!

About three weeks ago there was a scandalous incident at Cologne/Bonn Airport, which again puts the dark side of the illegal animal trade into the spotlight. Customs officers discovered a package from Vietnam that contained around 1,500 young bird spiders that were transported under extremely questionable conditions. The smell of the package was striking and did not match what could be expected from cookies. Many of the spiders have already been dead, which indicates transport conditions that are contrary to animal welfare. The surviving animals were immediately handed over to expert care, while criminal proceedings were initiated against the recipient in the Sauerland.

The incident reflects an urgent problem: illegal trade in animals remains a big animal welfare problem in Germany. According to the German Animal Welfare Association, there were at least 731 cases in 2023 in which animals, especially dogs, were illegally transported. Over 1,400 such cases with almost 21,000 smuggled animals have been documented in the past ten years. However, a high number of unreported cases is assumed, which makes the Situation all the more alarming. These illegal activities burden not only the animals themselves, but also the animal shelters, which have to bear high costs for their care, an average of around 25 euros per day.

The illegal animal trade: a growing problem

The number of unreported cases indicates that the problem is much larger than the known cases suggest. In most cases, the illegally smuggled animals, including often puppies, come from Eastern European countries such as Romania. These animals are often separated from their mother far too early and grow up under animal welfare conditions, which significantly endangered their health. 629 of the 731 illegally transported animals were dogs, often pedigree dogs such as Maltese and French bulldogs, but also cats and exotic animals such as alpacas were found in the balance sheets.

In order to reduce the effects of illegal animal trade, the German Animal Welfare Association demands urgent improvements in the Animal Welfare Act. A central point is the legal regulation of online trading with animals. So far, the draft law does not provide for sufficient evidence of identity for sellers, and the obligation to mark dogs and cats is considered necessary.

legal foundations and animal exchanges

The Animal Welfare Act, which has been in force in Germany since 1972, illuminates an additional aspect. In particular, the paragraph 12, which deals with animal exchanges, aims to secure the well -being of the animals and comply with animal welfare standards. In Germany, up to 150,000 animals are traded on illegal animal exchanges annually, which further underlines the urgency of regulation. The provisions stipulate that animal exchanges may only take place under certain conditions and official approval. Even if there is occasionally criticism of the ban, it is clear that many animal welfare violations in these markets can lead to stress and diseases in animals.

The creation of clear rules and a comprehensive surveillance system are crucial to ensure animals without unnecessary suffering. Violations can be punished with high fines and even prison sentences. Experts emphasize that stronger controls and more information are necessary to prevent illegal activities and find effective solutions for the future.

The recent incident at Cologne/Bonn Airport shows once again that there is a considerable need for action in the area of animal trade. Only through targeted measures can we prevent such behavioral behavior from continuing to remain unpunished.