COME HOME WITH TASSO
A success story of pet registration in Europe

Pets in Europe are still enjoying great popularity and the trend is rising. Germany is among the top four pet-popular countries in Europe, with 22.7 million pets. Statistically, every second household in Germany has one or more pets. Each year, however, more than 320,000 dogs and cats go missing in Germany.

Fast help for 52,000 missing pets
With more than 3.7 million registered pets, TASSO is Europe’s largest central pet-database with a worldwide sphere of influence. With the help of the latest computer technology, a 24-hour emergency hotline and a closely meshed network comprising co-operating vets, animal shelters and authorities, a missing pet can be reunited with its owner within a few days provided they have been registered! But of the 12.7 million dogs and cats living in Germany, only every third pet is registered. This means that only 52,000 of the approximately 320,000 pets that go missing each year can be helped quickly — because they are registered. Unfortunately, 104,000 non-registered animals that have been found are sitting in animal shelters for an unnecessarily long period of time.

Registration is active animal protection
Projections show that animal shelters and communities in Germany could save an additional 14.5 mn Euros per year alone in accommodation costs if every pet was registered, enabling to be reunited quickly with their owners, thus reducing their stay in the animal shelter to a minimum. TASSO’s success in reuniting 40,000 pets with their owners is already saving animal shelters 5.6mn Euros — year after year. That is active animal protection.

And in future?
In Switzerland, registration has been compulsory since 1996. In Austria, registration will become compulsory as of summer 2008 — reason enough to enforce compulsory registration in Germany.

The European Union is also needed in matters of pet registration, and not just for the reuniting of pets with their owners. The first European countries have recognised that the problem of stray dogs can no longer be brought under control permanently through mass killings. Economic and media pressure are forcing a rethink. The ‘catch-castrate-release-strategy’ that many animal-protection societies are offering as a method of resolution calls for region-wide registration of stray dogs as an important mainstay.  

TASSO’s competence at a glance

• More than 3.7 million registered pets
• 25 years of experience in reuniting stray pets with their owners
• Active Europe-wide Co-operation with almost 10,000 vets and 5,500 animal- protection societies
• 24-hour emergency hotline, 365 days a year
• 50 employees and 20,000 voluntary helpers
• Over 40,000 reunited pets per year
• All services are free!