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Our Impact

As part of the European Union, Germany follows EU rules regarding animals. But Germany also has its own laws, such as the Animal Protection Act, that go beyond these basic rules and protect animals that the EU doesn’t cover.

Nevertheless, top animal welfare issues include the import of animal trophies, street cat welfare and the use of animals for testing in laboratories.

What we are working on

Humane World for Animals is working hard to help. We’re advocating for a ban on the import of hunting trophies, reducing the suffering of street cats, and promoting modern, animal-free approaches to medical research and product testing. We’re also pushing for a formal ban on fur farming and encouraging companies to adopt fur-free policies.

Mink on a fur farm

Jo-Anne McArthur/We Animals

Fur farming

Germany has not passed an official ban on fur farming, yet due to stricter welfare requirements, all fur farms have been shut down. We engage with German politicians on the national and EU level to support an EU-wide ban on fur farming.

Trophy hunting event in Berlin

Humane World for Animals

#Machmit!

Banning trophy hunting

Germany is by far the main importer of hunting trophies in the region. Our #NotInMyWorld campaign is pushing for a national ban on importing trophies from protected animals. Germany is also home to Jagd & Hund, the largest hunting fair in the EU. We’re fighting to stop the fair from selling hunting trips to shoot protected species.

Cat on wooden ledge

Meredith Lee/Humane World for Animals

Sterilizing street cats

Germany does not mandate spaying and neutering cats, and the population of street cats in some places is rising. In 2024, we began a pilot project to humanely manage street cat populations in Schleswig-Holstein, a federal state in the northern Germany. Alongside local groups, we’re using vaccination, sterilization and other methods to improve the quality of life for these animals.

Mouse in a lab

Brandon Laufenberg/iStock

Mice, rabbits and other animals suffer in labs worldwide.

Ending animal testing

We are committed to advancing animal-free testing and research. In 2023, we were part of a coalition that delivered 1.2 million signatures from EU citizens asking for a Europe without animal testing. By engaging with politicians, federal institutes, academics, industries and more, we’re promoting modern, human-relevant science in Germany.

captive tiger

Kathy Milani /Humane World for Animals

Exotic pets

As part of a coalition with other organizations, we’re working to ensure that wild animals—including lions, chimpanzees and tigers—can no longer be owned by private citizens.

multiple pigs in factory

Jo-Anne McArthur/We Animals Media

Farmed animal welfare

We're supporting a transition to a more plant-forward food system while working to improve the welfare of chickens and pigs.

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Photo by Volodymyr Burdiak/Alamy Stock Photo/