Animal shelters in Flanders took in a record number of 48,000 animals that were neglected, got lost or of which the owners could not give them the necessary care in 2021.
The 185 recognised shelters give animals the necessary care so they can regain their strength if they were treated badly or wounded. Shelters also help find new homes for these animals.
Of all the animals that were taken care of, cats made up the highest number (25,926) followed by dogs (7,642). Shelters in the region also took in birds (5,623), rodents (1,702) and many other species.
However, they are also being affected by the sharp hike in energy prices, which threatens to have a negative impact on the help they are able to provide and the services they can afford to offer.
For this reason, Flemish Animals Minister Ben Weyts is doubling the structural financial support they receive on a one-off basis. Specifically, this amounts to an additional budget of around €700,000 for the recognised shelters, on top of the existing annual amount (also around €700,000).
"Our animal shelters do fantastic work. They are there for animals in difficult moments, so they deserve extra support when they are going through difficult moments themselves," Weyts said.
Improving operations
Shelters also receive compensation when they take in animals that were confiscated by the Flemish Animal Welfare Inspectorate or by the police, meaning they received a total of around €1.7 million in financial support this year.
In return, the minister expects shelters to boost efforts in ensuring the animals they take in are adopted via the website "Adopt an animal." Currently, nearly 2,400 animals are looking for a new home.
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"Animal shelters are invaluable for animal welfare," said Weyts. "It is therefore only logical that we support them and thus also encourage them to further improve their operations."
