At the turn of the year, apart from champagne with oliebollen, there are still fireworks. Some people think that’s wonderful, others prefer not to, but for animals, New Year’s Eve is always a stressful night. At animal shelter Haarlemmermeer in Hoofddorp, animals are also cared for in the boarding house during the holidays. During New Year’s Eve, about a hundred animals will spend the night alone. The radio is turned on in the building at night so that they hear the bangs less well, but they cannot prevent the animals from becoming frightened.
Old and new at animal shelter Haarlemmermeer – NH News
On December 31 it is extra busy in the animal shelter Haarlemmermeer. People bring their dogs and cats to the boarding house in droves during the holiday season. This is in addition to the number of shelter animals that are already there anyway. “At the moment we have around 15 dogs and about 50 cats in the shelter,” says location manager Rick Braam. In addition, people still bring their animals to the boarding house, which means that the counter goes up considerably. “About a hundred pets are here at the turn of the year.”
New Year’s Eve
In the run-up to the turn of the year, the caretakers try to do as much as possible with the animals so that they go into the night somewhat tired. “At the end of the day, it’s just a matter of turning on the radio and off we go,” says Rick. That means that the hundred animals are left alone in the shelter.
In many places in the country, the animals are left behind in the shelter without caretakers. This is also the case in the shelter of Dierenzorg Zaanstreek, where about 143 animals stay during the turn of the year. However, a finger is kept on the pulse by means of a camera connection.
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Asylum Haarlemmermeer
Asylum Haarlemmermeer
Asylum Haarlemmermeer
Asylum Haarlemmermeer
Animal welfare organizations
“Shelters follow their own policy. It is difficult to respond to this issue,” says Jane of the DierenLot Foundation. “Most shelters are located in an outlying area. I can imagine that shelters in an environment where a lot of fireworks are set off have a different policy.”
Ines Kostić of Party for the Animals North Holland is clear about fireworks. “We want to get rid of it.” The politician thinks it is important that a fireworks ban applies in the vicinity of shelters. “Unfortunately, that is not yet the case everywhere. Municipalities have the power to do that themselves.” Kostić finds it undesirable that no one is present at night, but it is understandable. “They often have to deal with volunteers in shelters. I think they do their utmost to protect the animals. If that is not possible, it is probably due to capacity and money.”
Fireworks-free zone
The municipality of Haarlemmermeer has designated a number of fireworks-free zones. Unfortunately, the environment of the shelter is not covered. “That would be very desirable,” says Rick Braam. Dierenzorg Zaanstreek has it better in that regard. The municipality of Zaanstad writes on their website that great value is attached to the welfare of citizens and animals. Zaanstad has therefore designated thirty fireworks-free zones, including the area around Dierenzorg Zaanstreek.