Schulze Heimtierbedarf has always been characterised by a strong commitment to animal welfare, environmental protection and climate protection. We are careful to use resources sparingly and to make as large a contribution as possible to a healthy environment. We also regularly support organisations that are committed to animal welfare.
No matter in which area you would like to get active, with a donation for animal welfare you make a contribution to a good cause. Whether your donation is small or large, it will certainly be warmly received by the animals.
There are many ways to get involved and we would be delighted if we could encourage you to make a contribution.
The Tiernothilfe Casa Katharina e.V. is an association from Nuremberg, which we were very happy to support this year with an extensive delivery of food and toys. Casa Katharina has 125 members and has placed more than 4000 dogs in the last 15 years with incredible commitment. The association is committed to the welfare of dogs at home and abroad. Many dogs have already been rescued from terrible conditions, for example in Moldova, and placed in new homes in Germany.
We are pleased that we were able to support this great organisation with a substantial donation of dog food and dog toys. Nevertheless, Tiernothilfe Casa Katharina e.V. is dependent on further donations. If you would also like to help, you can find all further information here.
In matters of animal protection, Schulze Heimtierbedarf GmbH has not only become active within Germany this year and has supported various associations and organisations with feed donations, but has also made donations in the enormously important area of animal protection abroad. For example, an extensive feed donation went to the animal welfare association respekTiere e.V. (www.respektiere.com), which, in addition to its charitable work in the Upper Palatinate, has successfully managed a project for cat and dog protection in Sardinia for many years.
The work of associations active in animal protection abroad is just as important as that of animal protectionists working at home, and a look beyond one's own nose is essential in order to gain an impression of the additional tasks, hurdles and challenges with which volunteers are confronted in a foreign country in their daily work. The focus of respekTiere e.V. is on sustainable, long-term effective protection measures on site, and as a necessary consequence a careful placement of the dogs and cats in Germany, where a multi-stage placement procedure with pre- and post-controls ensures that a suitable home is found for them. The fact that such a project demands an awful lot from each individual member and that the entire team is constantly pushed to its limits in the course of its tireless efforts is made clear in a current, open and very moving statement by the association. "If you don't keep up with the times, you'll go over time!" - In the introduction with this impressive statement, respekTiere e.V. addresses the public and speaks openly about the constant struggle for its existence, the exhausting work of the volunteers, the financial ups and downs and necessary changes towards a new beginning.
A food donation, such as that of Schulze Heimtierbedarf is one of the many ways to get involved and provide the animal welfare organisation with the urgently needed help and support that keeps the work of the association alive and takes the dogs and cats a small but at the same time so great step further along the road to a species-appropriate, healthy and long life.
Within the framework of this year's fundraising campaigns of Schulze Heimtierbedarf GmbH, a feed donation also went to vitaCurare GmbH in Hamburg www.vitacurare.de, which has its main focus on the areas of outpatient care, social psychiatry, home economics and integrated care. The food was used in a voluntary project for the benefit of our four-legged friends - the animal food bank. The animal food bank, which was repeatedly organised on 18th September, is a cooperation project between the Hamburg organisations vitaCurare GmbH and Hanse-Betreuung charitable
In the context of a feed donation to the animal and nature conservation association Unterer Vogelsberg e.V. Schulze Heimtierbedarf would like to draw attention to a current and important topic. The problem of the rapid and uncontrolled reproduction of wild cats (wildlings) has long been at the top of the list of topics of acute urgency for animal protectionists and animal protection associations. Nevertheless, it is a topic that passes the majority of society by, as many are not even aware that there is an enormous need for action in this area.
The animal and nature protection association Unterer Vogelsberg e.V., a non-profit and purely honorary association from Birstein (Hessen) explained the castration of wild cats due to the topicality to one of the highest association goals.
Cats belong to the most reproductive animals. Therefore it is important that the reproduction is subject to a certain control, because otherwise the wild offspring will be lost out of sight very fast. The kittens are born without anyone noticing and from then on they are largely left to their own devices and exposed to the whims of nature, including diseases and pests. Unlike wild cats, which have always been adapted to a life in the wild, domesticated cats do not genetically have the necessary equipment to live in the wild. As a result, they can also become a health hazard for outdoor cats, as cat disease and cat flu are very common in wild, outdoor cats. A fact, which is often underestimated: A cat can already become pregnant again when its first litter is 4 to 6 weeks old.
The Tier- und Naturschutzverein Unterer Vogelsberg e.V. tries to counteract this problem by castrating such wildlings. The cats are taken in and placed under a so-called protection contract, which includes the castration, identification and registration of the animals. "This year we have already castrated over 100 wild cats and tomcats. Since we live in a very rural region where the idea of "cat protection" has no political relevance whatsoever, we are dependent on donations. Even though the state of Hessen has created the legal framework for the introduction of an obligation to castrate, it is only being implemented very hesitantly in the communities and municipalities", explains Anke Feil, the 1st chairwoman of the association.
What can the individual do? There are many ways to support the various associations and help the wildlings. Of course, donations of any kind are always an enormous help, but there can never be enough active helpers. The first step has already been taken if you just look, keep your eyes open and contact the respective associations directly.
The food donated by Schulze Heimtierbedarf was gratefully received by "TiNa", as the association also calls itself, and distributed to the various feed suppliers as well as to the respective foster homes.
The "Tier- und Naturschutzverein Unterer Vogelsberg e.V." tries to counteract this problem by castrating such wildlings. The cats are taken in and placed under a so-called protection contract, which includes the castration, identification and registration of the animals. "This year we have already castrated over 100 wild cats and tomcats. Since we live in a very rural region where the idea of "cat protection" has no political relevance whatsoever, we are dependent on donations. Even though the state of Hessen has created the legal framework for the introduction of an obligation to castrate, it is only being implemented very hesitantly in the communities and municipalities", explains Anke Feil, the 1st chairwoman of the association.
What can the individual do? There are many ways to support the various associations and help the wildlings. Of course, donations of any kind are always an enormous help, but there can never be enough active helpers. The first step has already been taken if you just look, keep your eyes open and contact the respective associations directly.
The food donated by Schulze Heimtierbedarf was gratefully received by "TiNa", as the association also calls itself, and distributed to the various feed suppliers as well as to the respective foster homes.
In the area of resource and climate protection, we have been working successfully with the environmental service provider INTERSEROH for several years. As a central company of the ALBA Group, Interseroh has been developing customised environmental and system services across all sectors since 1991 in order to specifically improve the sustainability performance of companies. As a partner of this group of companies, we now save large quantities of greenhouse gases and primary resources every year thanks to the joint recycling activities and are proud of our savings successes*.
This means in figures for 2018: since 2013, a total of 245,143.04 kilograms of resources and 35,445.1 kilograms of greenhouse gases have already been saved in this way.
Packaging materials - in the spirit of sustainability
We also orient our packaging materials towards sustainability. An important point here is the reduction or efficient use of packaging. We are also always on the lookout for new, sustainable packaging materials.
Sustainability through reuse and recycling
In the fight against climate change, reuse and recycling of already used raw materials play a decisive role.
We are increasingly making sure that various films or cartons that have already been used are reused as packaging material. In this way, we keep our ecological footprint small by avoiding additional packaging material. If you ever receive an order from us with reused packaging material, you will be part of our long-term project for more sustainability.
Foil packaging - yes, but from recycled material
Wherever possible, we use simply recyclable material that consists of only one substance. Compared to the usual composite materials, this so-called mono-material has the advantage that production costs are significantly lower and disposal is more environmentally friendly.
Constant change for more sustainability
The issue of sustainability is very close to our hearts, which is why we work every day to always find an ecologically responsible solution by means of various and new measures.
Animal welfare has top priority for Schulze Heimtierbedarf. This applies to your pet, of course, but we are also keen to make our contribution to the preservation of life in the oceans. For this reason, we have been working closely with the Society for the Rescue of Dolphins for over 10 years. By participating in the international control programme for dolphin-safe tuna/SAFE, we ensure that we do not harm dolphin stocks when using tuna. Our tuna sourcing is strictly controlled on a regular basis and we are proud to be listed on the positive lists www.thunfischliste.de and www.dolphinsafetuna.org. This of course applies to all products with tuna from our food brand PORTA21, both Kitty's Farm and Feline PORTA21.