Animal heroes celebrated: Fressnapf presents animal welfare awards!

Animal heroes celebrated: Fressnapf presents animal welfare awards!

There is once again reason to be happy in Gänserndorf, because Fressnapf Austria has presented the “Animally Committed” awards – for the twelfth time. This award honors committed animal rights activists from all federal states who work tirelessly for the well-being of animals. Particularly exciting was the second awarding of the title “Pet of the Year”, which is chosen for the most popular animals. This not only sharpens your ear for creative ideas, but also brings the importance of animal protection into focus. As meinkreis.at reports, these awards recognize an initiative that is very popular.

But it wasn't just the awarding of the prizes that kept the people of Gänserndorf on their toes. At the same time, the survey “This is how Lower Austria ticks” was launched. The questions are quite explosive and shed light on a variety of topics that concern the population. Anyone who takes part has the chance to win annual purchases from SPAR worth 34,000 euros. The topics are diverse and range from the affordability of housing to the relevance of farmers to the future of children without a degree. This raises the question: How do Lower Austrians actually think about these issues?

The discourse about animal welfare

There are wide-ranging discussions regarding animal welfare, particularly about animal husbandry and egg production. Animal welfare is increasingly becoming the focus. However, difficulties lie in defining exactly what animal welfare means. It is often measured by the Farm Animal Welfare Council's five freedoms: freedom from hunger, freedom from pain and freedom to express species-specific behavior. These aspects are part of the necessary measures to improve animal welfare, as highlighted by numerous reports. In Germany, where around 48 million animals (excluding poultry) were slaughtered in 2023 and more than 700 million poultry animals, discussions about animal welfare are particularly pronounced. There are minimum standards, but these are repeatedly the subject of criticism, as explained on statista.com.

Consumers are showing increasing interest in how animals are raised. A survey from 2021 shows that many are willing to pay more money for high-quality, humanely raised meat. This not only increases awareness of how to combat animal suffering, but also shows that animal protection is becoming increasingly important for consumers. Products with a uniform seal of approval for animal welfare standards are in demand as consumers place increasing value on sustainability.

These topics are not only addressed as part of the “Animally Committed” awards, but also affect the entire social consciousness. It remains exciting to see how the survey results and ultimately the associated decisions will impact animal welfare policy and the well-being of four-legged friends. Additional Information information about these developments can also be found on krone.at.