Judges ban Savannah cat muffin in Klever residential area!

Judges ban Savannah cat muffin in Klever residential area!

In a remarkable decision, the Münster Higher Administrative Court decided that the Savannah cat named Muffin cannot be kept as a pet in a residential area in Kleve. This decision relates to the dangerous nature of Savannah cats, which are crosses between the African wildcat Serval and traditional domestic cats. The responsible authorities found the keeping of the animal to be questionable, especially in a busy residential area where security measures are lacking.

The veterinary office issued an order requiring Muffin's owners to hand over the animal within two weeks. An urgent application that the owners then submitted was rejected by the Düsseldorf Administrative Court. The subsequent complaint to the Higher Administrative Court was also unsuccessful. The court made it clear that keeping small animals is only permitted if it is common practice in the development area and is harmless. In Muffin's case, this requirement was not met.

Danger and legal background

The Higher Administrative Court justified the decision by classifying the F1 generation of Savannah cats as dangerous. This first generation of hybrid cats brings with them wild cat genes, showing natural instincts that can be problematic for humans and other animals. In other federal states in particular, Savannah cats of the F1 generation are already listed on lists of dangerous animals, which means that keeping them there is strictly regulated or completely prohibited.

The owners of Muffin had hoped that their arguments would be heard more widely in the complaint, but the court pointed out that the assessments of theNorth Rhine-Westphalia State Office for Nature, Environment and Climatecannot be ignored. Muffin's defensive behavior in dangerous situations also contributed to the negative evaluation. The court sees it as essential that safety for people and animals in residential areas comes first. Especially after the increase in demand for Savannah cats, partly due to celebrities like Justin Bieber, the decision is also being read in a social context.

A controversial topic

The breeding of Savannah cats is already controversial and is considered potentially cruel to animals. Owners have to be prepared to dig deep into their pockets; Prices for Savannah cats can reach up to 10,000 euros. Martin Polotzek, head of the zoo in Kleve, spoke out in favor of a differentiated view of animal husbandry in private households. It emphasizes the need to examine individually whether the conditions of keeping animals that are characterized by strong serval characteristics are appropriate.

Nevertheless, the judgment is not yet final and the owners have the opportunity to take action against the decision in the main proceedings. The legal and social implications of this decision could have far-reaching consequences for the keeping of exotic animals in residential areas.