Alarming pet situation is expected in my country

[Kirsten]

I took a break from PT lately because I felt so depressed over the scary situation for unemployed people here in Germany, resulting from new laws that will come into force next year.

The economical situation in Germany is bad now for many reasons, and many people have lost their jobs (I'm one of them), and since there are no new jobs, the huge amount of unemployed people cannot be handled by the govenment anymore. (So far, you got 60% of your last brutto income as unemployment money for one year, after that, you still got 53%). Now everyone will only get a certain amount, which means a drastic cut of the unemployment money for many.

I've spent some time on a German discussion board lately where these things are discussed, and I've noticed an alarming tendency there:

People who are effected by this mentioned they will give up their pets and bring them to the shelter, because they cannot affort them anymore! :(

And a woman who volunteers in a shelter said that she has noticed there is already a drastic decrease in adoptions this year. She said not even kittens have been adopted this year. She and the other people in the shelter blamed the new unemployment laws for this.

It breaks my heart to think about how many pets will end up in shelters or abandoned now! I will do whatever I can to let Luna and Lily stay with me!
Personally, I'm not so much effected by the financial cuts because I haven't gotten much unemployment money anyway. But there's still a lot of talk that unemployed people have to move into smaller apartments, and when this happens, I'm afraid there isn't enough space left for my two girls. :( I hope it won't come this far!

For the last 4 or 5 months, I have stopped to apply for new jobs due to my disk hernia and the surgery, but now I'm starting looking again. Maybe it's too early (for my back), but I just have to do something! I need to make a living for me - and for my girls!!!

Kirsten

[DJFyrewolf36]

It is so sad when economic depression affects animals. I find that it happens a lot in my area. My city in particular has high unemployment. Not because people aren't making money (Business is at an all time high) but because employers are firing people before they can get benifits. High turnover is good for them because then they don't have to pay for benifits, retirement etc. Im glad I have the job I do, otherwise Id be like a lot of people I know, bouncing around, not sure were my next paycheck will come from.

[Killearn Kitties]

I wish you all the luck in the world in your search for a suitable job Kirsten. Please cuddle your girls for me and stay positive!

[Kirsten]

DJFyrewolf36, that sure sounds like a depressing situation in your area! You can see such a tendency here now as well. It's scary and stressful when you do not know if you still have an income tomorrow.

But I would rather live on nothing but cheap pasta and ketchup every day instead of giving up my girls!!!

Thanks, Killearn Kitties! I hope that I'll be able to stay in the job in case I'll find one, because at this point, I do not have much trust in my health. I'm getting problems when I'm sitting more than one or two hours, so I cannot imagine how to do an office job full time at this point. But maybe things would work better than I'm expecting now, I have to find out... .

Kirsten

[lynnestankard]

Oh Karen this sounds dreadful. I wish you lots of luck with the job hunting and hope you find something that isn't too hard on your back and that you actually enjoy doing.

I know you can't live without Lily and Luna - fingers crossed and {{{Hugs}}} across the miles.

Lynne

[kimlovescats]

I'm so sorry to hear of all this bad news, Kirsten. :( Please try to stay positive, if you can! :rolleyes: Are you at least getting some sort of disability pay because of your back? I sure hope so!!! Gosh, I don't know what to say, except that I will pray for you and your babies!;)

((HUGS))
Kim

[Barbara]

Kirsten I hope very much that you can get a job -because I think the condition of your back and you being jobless are things that influence each other badly. I know that just like us all at Pet Talk you would never give up your babies (and we would start a cat food collection immediately ;))

Try not to panic- there are bad years now and we will have better years as well. And chat with us-because it's more uplifting :D

On the other hand- absolutely apart from your situation which is especially tough as you are not healthy: the situation of people without job is better in Germany than in most other countries of the world. And it will continue to be so, even after this law has been passed. So it would be very impossible for me to talk to people who want to give up their pets because of this issue.

I was very close to losing my job last year and the shock is still in my bones. But I promise to clean other people's cars to make sure F+T get their food.

[Randi]

Kirsten, I've read about the work situation in Germany - more work, less money. :( Some companies here are planning the same.

I really hope you can find a good job where you can sit down part of the time and walk around doing other things also. I know how painful it can be to sit down all day.

Have you put your CV in any of the jobdatabases? Or contacted Temp. Bureaus? Perhaps you can even find a part time job. :) I'd love that! ;)

Is there anything you could work with at home? Perhaps webdesign - you're good at that!

Best of luck finding something suitable!

[Kirsten]

Thanks everyone!

Lynne, it's true, I couldn't imagine life without my girls, they're my family!

Kim, I've gotten sick pay till last week, but now they've cancelled it since they think I should be able to work again. That's why I had to apply for unemployment aid last week, which means less money.

Barbara, it's true, compared to most other countries, the situation is still better here, but now with the Hartz IV law, it's just scary. In my case, it's not even that bad because the unemployment money will be more than I'm getting paid now. It's mostly my appartment I'm still worrying about. Nobody can give you an reliable answer here, because nobody knows the facts. Our government has just failed to inform the people, or maybe they did that intentionally because they wanted to scare people so they are putting more efforts into finding a job, I don't know...

And it concerns me that there seems to grow a new barrier between the west and the east. And it's also scary that people are looking at you as a person on social aid already, as the scum of the society (as happened to me on another German board where we discussed Hartz IV) :()

Randi, such a job would be nice, but you can't be picky here these days.
And yes, I have my cv in databases, and I'm looking for jobs on the internet all the time - except for the break due to the surgery.

I would love to work from home, but the chances are bad. I'm not qualified enough for web design, I would need to go to school first to get an education in this, but I cannot affort this.


BTW, just saw on the news that eggs and stones have been thrown at our chancellor Gerhard Schroeder today, because the people are so upset about him and his policy...

Kirsten

[Laura's Babies]

GOOD LUCK with your life there. Sounds dreadful. I am like you, I would eat nothing much, my kitties would get it all before I would give them up. Having said that, none of us really know what life will throw at us or what we would really do.. I will pray for you and your kitties each day and suggest everyone else do also!

[Kirsten]

Thanks! :)

And please don't worry about my girls! They're still getting good quality food, all their shots and medical treatment if necessary. I'm still trying to be a good cat mommy! :)

Kirsten

[Don Juan's mom]

I really feel for you, Kristin. I got laid off last year (probably just as well, as the company was missing payrolls), and have been scraping along since then on unemployment, temp jobs and handouts from my parents. :( But Don Juan has been a real sweetheart through it all, with his big friendly greetings when I come in the door (even if I've only been out for an hour) and snuggling with me at night. So, I've been making sure that I always have a little package of salmon bagel spread on hand for his special treat, even if I'm surviving on spaghetti and tomato sauce. :rolleyes:

Oh, well. As Mr. Micawber says, something will turn up! :D

Liz

[DJFyrewolf36]

Thats the problem with living in a right to work state, Kirsten. Here, they can fire you and they don't have to give a reason. Its pretty stupid if you ask me. Im in agreement with everybody though, I'd live on dollar ramen if I had to to keep my pets happy!

[Ally Cat's Mommy]

I'm sorry the situation is so scarey there Kirsten. But (as you reminded me earlier in the year when I was feeling a bit down), PT is a great place to come for a friendly word and a (((HUG)))!

[carole]

Kirsten just want you to know that I am concerned for you and I understand how scarey all this change can be for you and many others.

My understanding was Germany once had what I would class as too good to be true, where unemployment was concerned, I once saw a documentary on it a few years back, it was a shocking, however, I then thought to myself no country could sustain this kind of system.

Its unfortunate that they could not have seen that and made adjustments then.

Even if Germany is much better off than most countries, I guess that does not really help you feel safe and secure, and besides its what you are used to, and any change in lifestyle is hard no matter what the cirumstances.

I can only wish you well dear Kirsten, and that your health will continue to improve and good luck for finding a suitable job to your needs.

Yes it is very scarey to think people would consider giving away their pets, Unlike you and me and others here , we would fight to the end to keep our pets, and do without food in our belly's to keep them , that I am sure of.:)

[catmandu]

I hope,that it never comes,that I cant feed The Found Cats!

[Kirsten]

Thanks everyone!

carole, I guess you're right and we're all are way too spoiled here. So far, nobody had to worry about his existence, even if you have lost your job! Now things are changing and of course this is scaring the people in this country.

You will still get a certain amount of money each month, but those who have have saved larger amounts of money (or have expensive cars, paintings or other riches) have to live on their savings now before they're getting any money paid.

I'm not affected by this, I am not rich, I only fear for my appartment; that I'll be forced to move to a tiny place and that I have to give up my girls because of that. :(

I agree that changes are necessary to a certain degree, but they are too drastic IMO. I would say it's okay if we had vacant jobs here and if people here would just be too lazy to work and prefer to rely on the state's payments instead. And of course there are some who handle it that way! But at this point, the majority of the unemployed people isn't working because there ARE NO JOBS. So I find it unfair that these people are punished now. It's not their fault that some things went wrong in this country.


Its unfortunate that they could not have seen that and made adjustments then.

Well, I guess it would have worked a while longer if there wasn't the reunion of the two German states in 1990. Please don't get me wrong; I don't have anything against the people of the former German Democratic Republic, but those areas were more or less a less-developed country and it required a lot of money to improve the infrastructure there, plus all the people there had never paid one cent into the health or unemployment insurances till 1990, but they're benefitting from it. Once again, I don't blame them, it's not their fault, and I don't know if there would have been another solution since I'm no politician, but of course everything got out of the balance then. And it's no surprise that these people are now disappointed. Many things have been promised to them, and now there are areas with more than 25% of the people unemployed.

Kirsten

[carole]

Kirsten I can only go by what I saw in this documentary some years back, of course we all know the media has ways of stretching the truth, but it was indeed an eye-opener, we all wanted to somehow move to Germany, we could not believe what we heard, it was outrageous to us, that unemployed people had it so good, I don't know how much it has changed since then, and any change is hard on anyone, it is what you get used to.

They should implement these changes gradually, and regardless, it is still going to be real hard on the people.

We just felt no country could sustain such a system for too long.

Believe my kirsten when I say you have my empathy, change is scarey, and I know with your health problems and that you are not one of the rich people, its frightening for you.

Again Kirsten I wish you well, and hope for brighter future for you and your country.

P.S you are doing pretty well in the olympic games.:)

[Kirsten]

Well, in the documentary, they probably showed some of the extreme cases where unemployed really got a lot of money because they had worked in good positions before. Like I've mentioned above, so far, you're getting get 60% and later 53% of what you've got when you still had a job. Which means if somebody had an income of ... let's say 3,000 €/month, he still had more than 1,500 € left as an unemployed.

These people are affected badly by the reform now, since from next year on, they will only have 345 €/month, plus rent and the costs for heating, just like everybody else. And health insurance of course.

For me, being unemployed has never been easy, since I never had well paid jobs. I could survive, yes, but nothing more. In the past, I have always been lucky with finding a new job again, but this time it seems to be difficult.

Well, let's talk about something more positive! :)

Yeah, the Olympics!! Saw New Zealand was doing very well in the triathlon competition today! :) And Germany, after a couple of days without any medals, won gold in hockey today and bronze in soccer. Funny, most of the German athlets winnings medals are women! ;)

[carole]

Kirsten I agree, you know the media does not always tell it how it is, and paints often a very different picture to what is really going on.

Oh thanks for the recognition Kirsten, I have been bursting here with excitement on our double win GOLD AND SILVER for NZ in the Mens Triathalon, very proud of Hamish and Bevan, WELL DONE boys.

Germany is well up on the table, you have some very fine athletes, yes until now kirsten only three women had one any medals for NZ, but look out for Ben Fouhy in the kayaking, big chance here for NZ.

Hey my daughter won a silver medal for Spain , he he, at school they are holding the Silly olympics, she won it for being best at tongue twisters lol.:)

[Kirsten]

Hey my daughter won a silver medal for Spain , he he, at school they are holding the Silly olympics, she won it for being best at tongue twisters lol.

That is cool!! Sounds like a lot of fun! Congrats to your daughter! :D

Yep, I bet you've been proud today! :D Unfortunetaly, I've missed the end of the triathlon because I had to go to the doctor, but I heard about it later on the news. BTW, a German was No. 6 or 7 in the triathlon which I think isn't that bad. :)

When is the kayaking final?

BTW, did you see how the Greek audicence was booing at the competitors in the men's 200m-final tonight? That was really mean, I think!

Kirsten

[carole]

No kirsten I missed that bit, why were they booing? I am not sure when it will screen in Germany, but I think its 5pm here tonite, guess I will be glued to the screen, its unfortunate I have missed some of the best races, like Sarah Ulmer winning gold in the cycling because its on at like 2 in the morning, the time difference messes it all up, oh well.

I just cannot believe we got first and second, don't know if we have ever done that before, from a country with only 4 million people that ain't too bad, ok bragging over he he, yes Germany has done very well all over, you should be proud too.!!

I still cannot get over the amount of people caught for taking illegal drugs these games, that would be awful.....so far so good.!!:)

[Kirsten]

They we're booing because it would have been the special discipline of Kostas Kenteris, their star athlete. You've probably heard that he skipped his doping test and then had this car accident with that other Greek athlet, Ekaterini Thanou. Strange story, you've probably heard about that.

Yes, all these doping incidents are shocking. Read an interview with Ben Johnson (Canadian athlet who had to give back his gold medal 1988 in Seoul because he has been tested positive), and he had everyone is doing it. :(

Kirsten

[carole]

Gosh that is bad sportsmanship isn't it? I hate the cheats, they spoil it for everyone, the one's who take their medal , miss out on all the glory, and for instance ,because that women in the shot-put cheated our NZ contender would have ranked 7th place and had three more shots, she missed out because of her, and that is just plain mean.

I don't know how they can smile, hold their heads up when they win knowing they have cheated, they are in denial obvioulsy.

Hey sorry did not mean to hi-jack this thread and change it from what you were talking about to an olympic thread, at least you gave me a chance to bask in our glory for two minutes he he.

[Kirsten]

Hey sorry did not mean to hi-jack this thread and change it from what you were talking about to an olympic thread, at least you gave me a chance to bask in our glory for two minutes he he.

Nah, no problem, it's a much more enjoyable subject than the original one! :D

Yes, it's kind of sad that you'll never know if somebody has cheated or not, but I guess there isn't much that can be done against it.

I missed that incident with the shot-put, I guess. Was that this Russian woman that has been tested positive for doping?

Kirsten

[carole]

Yes I think so, to be honest and frank, she did not even look like a woman, i would imagine she took many steroids, she had very little femininity left., yep doping is bad news., for sure.

[lynnestankard]

Just throw my threepenn'orth in here girls.

Our commentators were horrified at the way the (mainly) Greek crowd booed the competitors of the mens 200mtrs - no one in charge in the stadium seemed to take any sort of control - if I was Greek- I'd be mortified.

I just felt so sorry for those athlete's waiting and waiting and the crowd continually booing - very bad sportmanship I think.

Carole - did NZ get a first in the men's triathlon? I watched ikt this morning and can't for the life of me remember the country the winner came from!! Typical. Yep - it was NZ - I went back and read your and Kirstens post properly!!!

Lynne

[Kirsten]

I just felt so sorry for those athlete's waiting and waiting and the crowd continually booing

Yes, exactly. I felt the same way! :(

Carole, I've missed the kayak competition this morning, which is too bad because the Gemans got 2 x gold and 2 x silver. And Ben Fouhy got the silver medal, right?

Saw the handball semi final this afternoon and I think it's great that Germany will be in the final on Sunday! :) That's so cool! :)

Kirsten

[carole]

Yes Kirsten Ben did get the silver medal, he was picked to get gold , oh well he did darn well anyhow.
Yes Lynne we got a gold and silver in the triathalon, very proud.

They will soon be all over, i will miss the excitement, my girlfriend and her daughter were here when Ben raced, you should have heard us all screaming, he was third at one stage, we could see he was not going to get Gold, but we wanted that silver lol.

Oh well I have missed my regulars, especially my favourite Coronation Street, lynne its funny my son never watches it here, but has become somewhat of a fan over in England, he says a younger group seem to follow it than here, more an oldies programmed in NZ, and of course you are at least six mths to 1 yr ahead, so he better not spoil it for me and tell me all.

[Kirsten]

Carole, I will miss the excitement, too!

Today, I'm up early and am watching the rest of the kayak finals. And it's so cool!!! Andreas Dittmar has just won gold on 500 mtr, after he "only" had silver yesterday!

I'm also missing some of my regular series, but well, it's only today and tomorrow, and then it'll be over. Maybe then I will finally be able to finish my work on www.catmom.de ! LOL

Kirsten

[carole]

Well its all over now Kirsten ,we will have to wait for another 4 years now, its been enjoyable, but it will be good to get back to normal TV viewing, and catch up on all the favourites.

Overall NZ did not do as well in the medal tally, as we have done previously, but we did bring home more golds than usual, so that is something, we have done better than some countries that have 23 million people compared to our mere 4 milllion, so thats something to be proud of.

Well done to Germany, are you pleased with their overall performance and medal total, Kirsten,?

Who won the games was it the USA?

There will be big welcome home events for our gold medalist, in Cambridge, only about 20 mins away from where I live.

[Karen]

I just had to jump in Kirsten, and post that, with the sites you have already created, you should be able to get a web design job without necessarily having "education" from some institution to prove it. Just show people what you've done, that should count far more than some piece of paper!

What other kinds of work would you like or have you done previously?

It is sad that the shortsightedness of politicians has led to a potential disaster for pets. But we know Luna and Lilly will be fine with their Mum!

If it comes down to it, you could market "A minute with a beauty" - say, 10 marks gets you one minute in a room with lovely Lilly or Luna ... For 50 marks you can wave a feather toy at them for 5 minutes ... And for an extra 5 marks you can get you picture taken with them. ;)