Germany: Call for Revision of the Animal Welfare Act

On 23 May 2025, the German Bundestag will debate a motion submitted by the parliamentary group Die Linke, which calls for a comprehensive revision of the Animal Welfare Act. The session will be broadcast live. The aim is to strengthen the protection of animals, with a key demand being a clarification that purely economic interests should no longer be considered a sufficient justification for causing animals “pain, suffering, or harm.” Among the proposed measures are a ban on live animal transports to countries considered high-risk in terms of animal welfare, as well as on transports lasting more than four hours. In addition, tethered housing is to be phased out within five years, with exceptions for certain tasks such as milking. So-called “torture breeding” (Qualzucht) is to be clearly defined via a list of specific symptoms and banned entirely, including in agricultural contexts. Further demands include a reduction of non-curative procedures, which should only be performed under anesthesia and after careful consideration of all alternatives, and the appointment of a Federal Animal Welfare Commissioner within the Federal Chancellery. Finally, it is demanded that recognized animal welfare organizations are to be granted the right to file class-action lawsuits at the federal level. The motion is expected to be referred to the relevant parliamentary committees following the debate.