Five of the 78 puppies are now at the coburg animal shelter
At first sight there is nothing wrong with them. The five snub-nosed puppies scurry through the quarantine room, sniffing at the incoming visitors and not at all scared. But veterinarian joachim lessing does not hide the danger they were exposed to. "They had not survived the transport to belgium. They were lucky to be discovered in time", he says. The five little dogs that were taken in on saturday at the animal shelter on the brandenstein level were supposed to be transported from the czech republic to belgium in the trunk of a car – crammed into plastic mesh boxes. The police stopped the illegal transport of animals on the highway near werneck (schweinfurt district) and alerted the veterinary office at the schweinfurt district office.
Then everything happened very quickly – and it had to if the lives of the puppies, who were only a few months old, were to be saved. "The animal protection agency took the matter in hand and called animal shelters in the area", says sandra bauer, manager of the coburg facility. At 7 o'clock the vehicle with the dogs had been stopped, at 13 o'clock all the animals were already distributed. "We picked up the five puppies from the animal shelter in schwebheim. They were temporarily housed there."
Dogs were stressed
The four-and-a-half to five-and-a-half-week-old dogs were very stressed, but somewhat healthy. Probably four havanese – but it could also be chizu; it's impossible to tell at that age – and one cavalier king charles spaniel.
Yesterday, joachim lessing took a closer look at the little rakers. "We have to look first of all to see if they are contaminated by parasites", he explains, because the puppies are often born in eastern europe in pig pens or cattle pens under catastrophic conditions. And at this point the veterinarian is now really angry. "The female dogs are often kept only as throwing machines. And anyone who buys a young dog from such a litter is complicit," he says, he scolds.
"As a rule, havanese cost between 800 and 1000 euros", adds sand ra farmer. But the ones from the czech republic or poland can be bought for half the money. "This is only a short term saving, because these dogs often have high veterinary costs as a result."
Warning against the animal mafia
In the meantime, a veritable animal mafia has formed in belgium and the netherlands, which sells its "merchandise mostly from eastern europe, says joachim lessing. He also explicitly warns against buying dogs on markets in poland or the czech republic for example. The argument: "oh, I felt sorry for the animal" DON'T PAY. "It is not a good thing to do, especially with regard to the female dogs."
The two female rudds and small dogs that have now found a home at the coburg animal shelter are in good health. "Two have small scars on the navel. Probably an umbilical hernia was operated", the veterinarian states.
Five weeks of training
And they are lovingly cared for on the brandenstein level. Three already have a name: puppi, rudi and nele. Now they're getting socialized first. "We spend four to five weeks with them", says sandra bauer. That is, the puppies are practicing contact with people, learning what a garbage can is, what it means when a human carries a cane or umbrella, what to think of cars. "Things of everyday life." After eight weeks they are vaccinated. Only then they can be mediated. "So there's no point in asking about it right now", stresses sandra bauer and leaves the little ones in the care of animal keeper brigitte schildknecht. They already enjoy the trust of the small racers.
