Shocking pictures: cows in Hohenlohe kept on chains for life!

Shocking pictures: cows in Hohenlohe kept on chains for life!

in the Hohenlohe district, more precisely in Bretzfeld, a current case of cruelty to animals has left the waves. The animal rights organization Aninova has published image material from a cattle company that discloses the devastating attitude of 50 cows. According to the recordings that were taken in mid -March 2025, the animals are kept in chains all year round in the barn and cannot turn around. Jan Peifer, the CEO of Aninova, emphasizes the inhumanity of these conditions that violate the Animal Welfare Act. The organization immediately informed the responsible veterinary office in Künzelsau and submitted a criminal complaint to the Heilbronn public prosecutor, which is now determined for cruelty to animals (AZ 251 JS 10929/25).

The Aninova's statements suggest that the posture conditions are not only inadequate, but also unsanitary. In a first examination, the veterinary office has already determined defects in the attitude, including too long claws in a milk cow and also problems with young cattle. The food supply to the cows, on the other hand, remains unaffected, because the milk is picked up by the Hohenlohe dairy and sold under the brand name Hofgut, including at Edeka24, Amazon and Rewe.

test run for changes in the Animal Welfare Act

These planned regulations are part of a larger approach to strengthen animal protection in Germany. In this context, the case in Bretzfeld could also have an impact on future political discussions and possible changes in the law. Many consumers are not aware of the problem, while the Hohenlohe dairy advertises in its advertising with "happy cows" and sustainability without addressing the actual conditions in the company.

a call to more awareness

Aninova vehemently speaks to end the tethering and recommend a vegan lifestyle in order not to support cruelty to animals. In times when the awareness of animal welfare is increasingly coming to the fore, such messages are not only disturbing, but also a call to all consumers, to consume more consciously and to question the origin of their food.

In this sense, it remains to be seen how the legal and political developments will shape and whether the animal welfare organizations, with the help of the public, can actually achieve a fundamental change in the keeping of the farm animals.