The town bans the release of cats, violators will be fined up to 1.23 billion VND

The government of the town of Walldorf (Germany) has just issued a ban on people letting cats loose and walking cats. Animal rights advocates object, saying this is "animal discrimination" and will cause cats to be "poor, depressed".

To protect the crested nightingale from being eaten by cats, the German government has issued a special ban that lasts for at least 3 months. From the end of May to the end of August, cat owners in the German town of Walldorf are not allowed to let their cats loose.

Cats are said to be the arch-enemies of birds and small mammals

Even walking the cat is forbidden. Violators can be fined from 500 euros, even fined up to 50,000 euros (1.23 billion VND at the current foreign exchange rate) if caught red-handed allowing cats to injure or eat birds.

The regulation was put in place to help the crested nightingale survive the breeding season. This species has the habit of nesting right on the ground, not on trees like other birds, so it is easy to become prey of cats.

The crested nightingale population has plummeted in recent decades. Authorities in Walldorf say the bird's survival depends on the fate of each chick in the coming breeding seasons.

Therefore, the German Government introduced a regulation not only this year, but will continuously repeat for the next three years (from April to August every year) and apply to all cats (whose). in the town of Walldorf. Feral cats are also scheduled to be captured.

The regulation banning the release of cats has made not only owners protest, but also animal rights organizations.

On Euronews Green, Deutscher Tierschutzbund - Germany's largest animal welfare organization - said: "There is no solid basis to prove that the population of crested nightingales has decreased because of predatory cats. Blame. It's not fair to them. Suddenly locking up cats who have a habit of going out to play is like "social distancing." That will cause stress and depression for them."

The Deutscher Tierschutzbund supports measures to protect the crested nightingale, but says: "no animal has priority over another. Animals need justice too."

The crested lark usually nests on the ground

Some other animal rights activists also voiced that banning cats out for fear of eating birds is like blaming them, holding them accountable. Meanwhile, humans are the culprits that have destroyed the habitat and food supply for wild species for a long time.

Daniela Schneider, campaigner for Four Paws Germany - a global animal welfare organization for animals directly affected by humans, said: "The impact of intensive, monocultured agriculture , lack of insects and industrial land development are the main causes of the crested nightingale population decline.It would be better to look at the actual human-caused cause rather than blame the cats for this. this".

Animal rights defenders protested, saying that banning cats from freeing was "animal discrimination" and would cause cats to be "poor, depressed".

Local animal rights organizations and associations are planning to take legal steps to fight the ban and get justice for the cats. Cat owners affected by the new rule (for example, who can prove that their cat is depressed from being confined to their home) can also exercise their right to object until mid-June.

The debate over whether cats should be free to roam is attracting the interest of more than just Germans. The European pet food industry estimates that 26% of all households in Europe own at least one cat.

A 2013 study estimated that domesticated cats alone in the US kill about 2.4 billion birds and 12.3 billion small mammals each year.

The most recent Mammal Society figures show cats in the UK can catch up to 100 million small animals during spring and summer, including 27 million birds. The birds most commonly caught are the house sparrow, the ringed bird, the nightingale and the starling.

Despite these statistics, the UK's largest animal conservation charity, RSPB, also says there is no clear scientific evidence that cats are the main cause of the decline in bird populations.