Online Survey Aims to Determine How the "New" GOT Will Affect Horse Care

How does the currently valid GOT affect animal husbandry in Germany? That is the question this online survey aims to answer. At the urging of industry associations, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Home Affairs (BMLEH) launched the survey. It offers animal owners—and thus also horse owners, who are particularly affected—the opportunity to voice their experiences, concerns, and fears regarding the GOT, and hopefully contribute to a further revision of the GOT. So your voice is needed here!

Click here to take the survey.

You can take part in the online survey until July 26. It takes about 10 minutes to complete, but it’s time well spent. You should definitely take advantage of this opportunity to provide feedback from the perspective of those directly affected, because active participation is crucial to giving even non-pet and non-horse owners a realistic picture of the consequences of the GOT amendment and, ultimately, to making a difference. Veterinarians have already been surveyed about their experiences in a separate survey.

Participation is anonymous. The results will be summarized and analyzed. The findings of the analysis may serve as the basis for future adjustments.

FN plans further discussions

“Profitable for the veterinarian and affordable for the pet owner—that is our stated goal,” says Dr. Klaus Miesner, Head of Breeding at the FN, adding: “We view the fact that this survey—which was not originally planned—is taking place as a first step toward establishing fair veterinary fees.”

In addition, the FN plans to contact Federal Minister of Agriculture Alois Rainer directly. A meeting is scheduled for July. “There, we will also raise the general question of whether the GOT is necessary. Germany is the only country in Europe where the costs of veterinary services are regulated by law. In neighboring EU countries, it is regulated by the free market—and that works well for everyone involved,” said Miesner.