Serengeti between Dieburg and Münster: A new animal paradise is emerging!

Serengeti between Dieburg and Münster: A new animal paradise is emerging!

A fascinating project is being built in the heart of Hesse that combines animal protection and nature conservation: the “Serengeti Dieburg gUG”. This ambitious project was launched in March 2023 and covers a five-hectare area between Münster and Dieburg. The organization is dedicated to animal protection and already runs a rescue center called Daktari near Roßdorf-Gundernhausen. Not only sheep and goats have found a new home here; The plans include taking in many more animals.

The Serengeti is intended to become a multifunctional facility - as a sanctuary, animal shelter, wild animal sanctuary, learning farm and animal resting place. A special highlight is the planned dog house for senior dogs, which is to be built on 275 square meters. The architect Ulrike Hofmann has already drawn up the plans and the project is currently in the approval phase. The Groß-Umstadt Lions Club showed solidarity and contributed to the realization with start-up funding of 5,000 euros.

A place of meeting

Around 40 animals currently live on the site, and anyone who would like to take a look at this animal community is warmly invited on Sundays from 2 p.m. The operators of the Serengeti have already carried out minor renovation and landscape maintenance work to improve the conditions for the animals. The plan is to create a comprehensive animal and nature conservation center, which is viewed as a multi-million dollar project. Not only is animal protection promoted here, but also education about species-appropriate animal husbandry and nature conservation.

The Dieburg animal shelter, the first point of contact for animal protection in the region, complements this project. The Dieburg Animal Welfare Association provides dogs, cats, small animals, birds and reptiles here. The need is enormous and is supported by foster homes that offer animals a homely atmosphere. The animals are offered for adoption online and can be requested directly from the volunteers for information.

The big picture in view

In the context of animal protection, it is important to also think about general animal welfare. This is currently being discussed controversially in Germany. The Five Freedoms of the Farm Animal Welfare Council are often the basis for measuring how appropriately animals are kept. This includes aspects such as freedom from hunger and thirst as well as the freedom to express species-specific behavior normally. This understanding of animal protection is not only essential for animals in caves like the Serengeti, but also applies to the large number of pets that live in Germany.

With almost 34 million pets, mainly dogs and cats, the demand for animal shelters and animal welfare initiatives is high. More and more people are investing in animal welfare, which is also reflected in their reasons for supporting animal protection associations. Statistics show that in 2023, around 8.3% of private donations in Germany went to animal welfare. Raising awareness of the needs of animals is becoming increasingly important.

Especially in these times, the Serengeti Dieburg is a shining example of how animal protection operators with vision and commitment contribute to strengthening the coexistence of people and animals. Whether as a future visitor or supporter - this project has the potential to sustainably enrich the region and raise awareness of animal welfare.