Day 3

An examination and worming treatment for a pet in and around Cologne

Love of animals must not be a luxury Love of animals must not be a luxury

An examination and worming treatment for a pet in and around Cologne
Day 3
The mobile veterinary practice: Help for animals, respect for people

Andrea H. (54) and her mixed breed dog Leila (7) regularly visit the mobile veterinary practice (TieMo) for those in need. Leila suffers from arthritis and Andrea cannot afford the necessary medication and vet visits on her low income. Due to a mental illness, she has been on early retirement for some time. Since then, Leila has become even more important to her: she gives Andrea a reason to get up and go outside every day. In order to be able to look after Leila, she does everything she can to manage her everyday life as well as possible and also to look after her own health. She is very grateful for the support from TieMo: "Setting something like this up on a voluntary basis is something very special and requires a lot of commitment. An older, sick dog is so needy and needs our care and attention even more. I am so touched that I will still have a great time with Leila thanks to the support of the TieMo team."

The mobile veterinary practice: Help for animals, respect for people
The mobile veterinary practice: Help for animals, respect for people
need
Free basic veterinary care for low-income owners
activity
Volunteer veterinarians and helpers regularly offer examinations, consultations and simple treatments at TieMo hotspot locations
Measurable performance
Number of treatments performed, animals treated and their owners
Result
Better health of the animals, financial and psychological relief for the owners
Systemically relevant impact
Helping animals does not only mean respect for their human owners, but also strengthens their mental health. The animal owners will be able to improve their living situation supports
background

Almost half of all German households (46%) have at least one pet. Around two-thirds of families with children keep pets, but older people also appreciate animal company: around a quarter of pet owners are over 60 years old (ZZF). It has long been scientifically proven that animals are good for people. Exercise when walking the dog, relaxation when cuddling, the trust that the animal will accept you without reservation - all of this promotes physical and mental health (ZZF). Five to ten percent of the homeless also share their lives with animals, mostly dogs. They are constant companions, best friends, at the same time protection and wards, mediators in social contacts and a source of unconditional love for their owners (Bergmann, 2021). Animals are increasingly being used specifically in the treatment of psychological problems. At the same time, love of animals threatens to become a luxury item. In November 2022, the fee schedule for veterinarians was adjusted. Since then, the simplest examination has cost at least 23.62 euros instead of 8.98 euros (cat) or 13.47 euros (dog), and the prices for vaccinations have doubled (BTK 2023). Worrying about older and sick animals places a much greater psychological and financial burden on poor and low-income earners than on higher earners. There are only losers when animals are given away for financial reasons: not only animals and owners suffer from the separation, ultimately the consequences can also burden the health system and thus become a problem for society as a whole.

Alter Markt, 50667 Innenstadt, Germany
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The good deed

TieMo has four permanent locations (Brühl, Grevenbroich, two in Cologne), which are visited alternately every week. After registering through local partner organizations, people who can prove they are in need can have their animals examined free of charge. Veterinarians and helpers work on a voluntary basis, and medication and consumables are financed through donations. TieMo carries out simple but necessary treatments such as regular worming treatments, advises owners, and sometimes distributes food or donations in kind. For many owners, their beloved animal is an emotional support and best friend, for whom they want to look after as well as possible. That is why even people come to TieMo who are reluctant to ask for help for themselves because they fear being patronized. The shared desire for the animal to be well enables contact on an equal level. An experience that can help owners to become more open to other support offers.

About Germany
Berlin
Berlin
Capital city
84,482,267
84,482,267
population
as of 2023
52,745.8
52,745.8
Gross domestic product per capita per year in USD
as of 2023
0.950
0.950
Human Development Index (Human Development Index)
as of 2023/2024

Cat purring is not only soothing, the vibration accelerates the healing of injured bones and joints - not only in the cat itself, but also in humans when in close contact.