Above: Video Shows the Tiertafel in Action
Poodles, pinschers, terriers, and other breeds of dogs and cats are queuing up for rations at Berlin’s soup kitchen for pets.
Previously a night school in the former communist east Berlin, the unused location now is filled with the smell of straw, dry food and wet dog.
Pensioners and those on public subsidy qualify for free pet food. The pet food buffet opened in mid-October 2008 to help those who had lost their disposable income support their dogs and cats.
Reports are that the Tiertafel (Animal Dining Table) has signed up 400 people and their stocks are dwindling quickly.
Limits have now been set to help accommodate the demand.
Berlin currently has an unemployment rate at about 13 percent and has some 100,000 registered dogs–many of them owned by those receiving subsidy.
Although dog owners dominate the pet owners frequenting the “pet soup kitchen,” the Tiertafel caters to other pets as well including cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, and birds.
Volunteers hand out food and advice while also assessing potential animal health problems.
Food is donated by individuals and food companies and will normally cover the animal’s needs for four to five days.
Tiertafel launched two years ago and now runs 19 soup kitchens across down the country and plans to open 30 more.
Claudia Hollm came up with the idea of pet soup kitchens after seeing a television report about a family having to give their dog away.
For further information:
Tiertafel Deutschland e. V.
Achim Schütz Director
Claudia Hollm
Westpreussenstrasse 32-38 Semliner Chaussee 8
47809 Krefeld, Germany 14712 Rathenow, Germany
Phone: +49 (0)2151/5191 1231; Fax: +49 (0)2151/5191 28 1231 Phone: +49 (0)3385/494965
E-mail: claudia@tiertafel.de
