The hiss of a hot iron, the smell of burnt flesh, the cry of a foal – branding is one of the most painful and unnecessary practices still allowed in Germany. For centuries, horses have been branded to mark ownership or breed. But today, we have microchips and digital records that make this cruel ritual obsolete.
Under current law, branding is technically banned unless anesthesia is used, but there's no approved anesthetic for this procedure. In other words, branding continues, often leaving young foals with third-degree burns, infections, and lifelong trauma. All for the sake of "tradition."
Sign the petition to demand that Germany permanently ban horse branding and replace it with humane, modern identification methods.
Simply put, branding offers no benefit to animals – only pain. Foals are branded at just three to five months old, their skin seared with a glowing iron that destroys nerve endings and tissue. Gray horses suffer even longer burns so the mark will show through their lighter coats. Veterinarians, animal rights groups, and welfare advocates have made it clear: this suffering is avoidable, outdated, and indefensible.
Germany has already embraced microchipping, a safe, traceable, and cruelty-free alternative. There is simply no justification for continuing a practice that belongs in the past.
Sign now to urge the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture to permanently end horse branding and prioritize animal welfare over outdated tradition.
