Luxembourg Animal Shelters, Welfare Organisations Discuss Impact of COVID-19, Ukraine War (Part 1 of 2)

The pandemic pet boom and the now gradual return to “normal” pre-pandemic life has put pressure on many animal shelters and animal welfare organisations worldwide, and Luxembourg is (for the most part) no exception.

Overall, the COVID-19 pandemic led to a surge in demand for pets, particularly young animals (puppies and kittens) among the general population, who suddenly found themselves with considerably more time on their hands (remote working and teaching, etc.) than usual. This increased demand in turn led to increased prices from breeders (credible or otherwise), as well as growing concerns over the welfare of these animals. Now, with people returning to school and the office and rising costs of living at the global level, some of these pandemic pet owners can no longer find the time and / or money to care for their four-legged family members.

More recently, the Russia-Ukraine war has seen many pets abandoned as people flee the war-torn country to safety, putting increased pressure on animal shelters in Ukraine and its neighbouring countries, as well as an influx of Ukrainian refugees into other European countries, including Luxembourg, accompanied by their pets but struggling to find suitable accommodation or to afford veterinary treatment.

In this uncertain context, Chronicle.lu recently reached out to various animal shelters and animal welfare organisations in Luxembourg to learn about their daily work and how this has been impacted (if at all) by both the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. The article has been divided in two parts, the first dedicated to the following local animal shelters: Asile National pour Animaux (Déierenasyl Gaasperech), Association pour la Protection des Animaux – Schifflange (APAS; Schëfflenger Déiereschutzveräin), Asile pour Animaux Régional – Dudelange and Société Eschoise pour la Protection des Animaux (SEPA; Escher Déierenasil).

Most of the contacted organisations agreed that many people in Luxembourg (as elsewhere) got pets during the pandemic but can no longer adequately care for them, shelters are generally full, volunteers are always needed, and support for Ukraine is important.

Asile National pour Animaux (Déierenasyl Gaasperech)

Speaking to Chronicle.lu, Liliane Ferron, Vice President of the Asile National pour Animaux, which has been protecting animals (particularly cats and dogs) in Luxembourg for almost 100 years, noted that many people got pets during the pandemic since they were not working or working from home. She confirmed that some of these new pet owners now found they no longer had time to look after their animals. The Asile National, like several other shelters in Luxembourg, is currently full. This is especially the case for dogs, who require a greater amount of time from their owners in terms of going outside for walks and toilet breaks. Currently, the shelter has a waiting list, although they always make room for emergencies.

Concerning the war in Ukraine, the shelter has sent lorries full of pet food, medicine and other necessary items to support pet owners and animals in the war-torn country. The shelter has also made its veterinarian available for Ukrainians bringing their pets with them to Luxembourg to help them with vaccinations or when they are ill.

People interested in adopting a cat or a dog can contact the Asile National via telephone or in person at the reception. The process is “a bit strict in the interest of the animals”, noted Ms Ferron, particularly when it comes to rehoming dogs, as the team must first ensure how much experience, time and space the potential new pet owners have for the animal. Once both sides have initially agreed that the dog is a good fit for their new family, they can be taken to their potential new home for a two- to three-week trial period after which, if the chemistry is right, an adoption contract will be drawn up. Patience is needed as is an understanding that these animals have a former life and “their own character”. Some of the shelter staff are also specialised in giving advice concerning cat adoption.

Members of the public can also volunteer to walk the shelter dogs. All the rules are detailed on the website (https://www.deierenasyl.lu/fr/) and must be followed for safety and insurance reasons.

The Asile National has about 20 employees plus a handful of volunteers. As a private Asbl, the shelter relies entirely on donations.

Bank details (bank transfer or PayPal): IBAN LU190090000052776002 (CCRA); IBAN LU711111006840500000 (CCPL); IBAN LU590019100003106000 (BCEE)

Association pour la Protection des Animaux – Schifflange (APAS; Schëfflenger Déiereschutzveräin)

Sacha Andre, President of APAS, agreed that the pandemic “is already having a certain impact” on animal shelters in Luxembourg, which are often in regular contact and rely on one another – even if they operate independently – for instance, if one does not have the capacity to take in more animals. He regretted that there were no rescue stations or shelters beyond the centre and south of the Grand Duchy. Returning to the subject of COVID-19, he noted that the calm lockdown period had allowed cats to “multiply undisturbed”, the effects of which can already be felt. “We have seldom had as many young mother cats as this year”, he lamented.

In terms of supporting people and animals in Ukraine, APAS has teamed up with other animal welfare organisations in Luxembourg, namely Déieren an Nout asbl, “who have been very committed”, and Een Herz vir Streuner, with whom they went to Ukraine directly “to hand over relief supplies for animals and people”. They had also been able to “take in some animals from Ukrainian war zones”. The APAS animal shelter manager Jennifer Pauwels has been heavily involved in volunteer work in this regard, travelling to Ukraine with eleven other volunteers about a month ago to hand over donations and bring some of the animals back to Luxembourg from Romania (via the TRACES online platform of the European Commission related to animal importation). Similar visits to Ukraine are planned in the future. “Of course, this assistance is just a small drop in the bucket”, noted Sacha Andre. “However, we are proud that we can help the people and animals in Ukraine with these donations. It is important for us to show solidarity and stand together”.

When asked what he believed people should know or better understand before adopting a pet, Mr Andre stated: “Getting informed is the be-all and end-all when it comes to adoptions”. Potential pet owners should first consider whether they have the time and space required and should research the different breeds, with their specific exercise and other needs. “Don’t underestimate the fact that you have to plan for the long term, as animals also reach a certain age!”, he said, adding that a lot more time and effort was required when caring for young animals who first need to be housetrained.

APAS was officially founded in the 1970s as a sanctuary, mainly for cats and dogs. Over the past decade, the organisation has “reoriented itself and, for organisational reasons, it has become a real animal shelter”, Mr Andre noted. The new animal shelter officially opened its doors in 2020. In 2021, the shelter helped more than 700 animals and so far this year (by May 2022), it has helped another 300 animals. The shelter is open daily “and [the] team takes care of the welfare of the animals every day”. Beyond this, APAS also responds to calls from the public for help concerning the presence of many stray cats, as well as following up on reports of abuse. The APAS team currently includes three people who are “subsidised”, as well as volunteers and people participating in employment measures. “Volunteers are always needed, be it at the shelter or at our events. Everyone who wants to support us is welcome”, concluded Sacha Andre.

Further information is available on the website: https://apas.lu/ 

Bank details: Déiereschutz Schëffleng IBAN LU32 0020 1380 5710 0000 BIC BILLLULL

Asile pour Animaux Régional – Dudelange

For his part, Paul Weber, President of the Asile pour Animaux Régional – Dudelange, said his team had not witnessed a significant change in the past couple of years regarding the number of animal abandonments or adoptions at their shelter. Nevertheless, “like any business, [they] had to adapt to the pandemic”, namely switching to working by appointment only, which has made their jobs “more efficient”.

Concerning what people should know before adopting an animal, he emphasised the importance of first “ask[ing] yourself certain questions”, i.e. if you have “the means to supervise the animal”, ensuring you understand the needs of the animal and “knowing that an animal will be a life companion for many years”. Potential pet owners should also consider whether the animal is “compatible with the kind of life one envisions for the future”. In some cases, it is also important to have previous experience.

In terms of supporting Ukraine, the animal shelter has already helped several individuals with their pets in Luxembourg. He noted that the shelter was available and willing to help people when they need pet food or other items. All they need to do is contact them. “Since we are always dealing with individual situations, we must find solutions on a case-by-case basis”, Mr Weber explained.

As well as its daily work, the shelter organises two big annual events: an Open Day (Porte Ouverte) in spring (cancelled last year due to the pandemic) and an Autumn Festival. The most recent Open Day took place on Sunday 22 May 2022. Paul Weber described the event as “a great success”, with more visitors than ever before. “The Porte Ouverte gives us the opportunity to show people our work. It also draws people's attention to animal welfare as a whole”, noted Mr Weber. “And the next time they indulge in an animal, they might think of associations like ours. Respectively if they have a problem, they know we are there”. He noted that many people also come to the Open Day with dogs which they have adopted from the shelter: “This makes us happy when we see that we have been able to bring animals and people together”. He added that such events were also an opportunity to bring team members together “since [they] are rarely all together in the shelter at the same time”.

The Asile pour Animaux Régional – Dudelange team is composed of about 35 volunteers and eight employees. Founded as an animal protection organisation in 1975, the current animal shelter was built five years later. The shelter relies on private donations (money and food); if it has too much pet food in stock, this can then be given to other animal protection organisations which may need it.

More information is available on the website: https://www.asile.lu/

Bank details: LU52 1111 0026 3011 0000 (CCPLLULL)

Société Eschoise pour la Protection des Animaux (SEPA; Escher Déierenasil)

On behalf of SEPA, committee member Viviane Baumert, explained that the shelter had offered to take in a small number of cats if needed. However, not enough space is available for dogs at present.

SEPA was put in place some years ago after a group of animal welfare enthusiasts came together and convened with the city administration of Esch-sur-Alzette to find a suitable spot. Its priorities are centred around cats and dogs which appear lost or abandoned or which come to be seen as a burden by their owners, be it related to health or financial issues or changes to their housing situation or simply a lack of time and attention for their pets.

Ms Baumert noted that new arrivals to the shelter are checked by a vet and put in quarantine until the team have "firmly established that the animal in question is in good health and does not represent a risk for our other inmates". A certain period of time is set aside to allow pet owners who may have lost their pet to come forward and reclaim it from the shelter. If no one claims ownership, SEPA puts the animal up for adoption. Before the cat or dog goes off with its adoptive family, the team make sure it is equipped with an identification chip and it has been vaccinated. The team also first explains the practical aspects of adopting a pet "to avoid a situation in which the animal is returned to us within a few weeks as the new owners were not quite clear about what they were letting themselves in for". The shelter charges an adoption fee, which also covers future castration or sterilisation costs for animals which were still too young for the operation.

SEPA is subsidised to some extent by the City of Esch-sur-Alzette but the team "constantly [have] to watch [their] finances", explained Ms Baumert. SEPA uses income from adoption fees, donations and inheritance money left to the shelter to pay its staff in charge of secretarial work and coordination of all the tasks at hand. "The members of staff have to be highly motivated, efficient and versatile", she noted. "Sometimes the conditions that these animals have seen can be quite traumatic and a lot of tender care and time has to be given to enable some happy future for these animals. In the case of dogs with behavioural oddities there is a dog trainer who works with these dogs to turn them into faithful companions for their prospective owners". SEPA also relies on the time and sometimes money offered by volunteers, whose dedication is described as "exemplary and absolutely invaluable" by Viviane Baumert. Moreover, the social workers for Esch-sur-Alzette send over some people to help with daily tasks like cleaning and feeding. A committee of half a dozen people voluntarily coordinates all matters pertaining to the running of the shelter.

"The shelter in Esch relies on the determination of some idealistic people who just refuse to see animals in need without help and protection and keeping this enterprise going will always be a challenge", concluded Ms Baumert.

More information is available online at: http://www.sepa.lu/

Bank details: BCEE LU44 0019 5603 8160 5000 / CCP LU80 1111 0311 3494 0000

This article was updated on Saturday 4 June 2022 to include the responses of SEPA.

Part 2 of this article is available here.