Tierheim Köln-Dellbrück (bmt)

Tierheim Köln-Dellbrück is one of ten animal shelters run in Germany by the Bund gegen Missbrauch der Tiere e.V. (bmt), a registered animal welfare charity. The bmt began converting a former hunting lodge and dance hall in Köln-Dellbrück into a shelter in 1968, and it officially opened on 1 January 1969. In 2002 the site doubled to 7,000 square metres; it now has four dog houses, two cat houses, a large small-animal section and sixteen dog exercise areas, and is regarded as the largest shelter in North Rhine-Westphalia.

A team of around 30 staff cares for the animals around the clock. In 2025 the shelter took in 1,435 animals (298 dogs, 363 cats, 293 small animals and 506 wild animals), rehomed 740 and released 420 wild animals back to the wild. It also takes dogs from partner shelters in Hungary and Romania, gives advice on keeping animals, and runs school visits and children's animal welfare activities.

Dogs, cats, small animals, birds and farm animals are rehomed with a protection contract and adoption fee (for example €500 for a dog and €250 for a cat). Dogs are microchipped, vaccinated and wormed; cats are tested for FIV and FeLV, neutered, vaccinated, wormed and chipped. To adopt, use the contact form, phone, or visit during opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday 3pm–5pm (phone lines 10am–12pm and 2pm–5pm, except Sundays and public holidays).

You can support the shelter by donating (online, by PayPal or bank transfer), sponsoring an animal, becoming a bmt member, volunteering or giving food and supplies. The bmt is recognised as a non-profit, holds the German Fundraising Council (Deutscher Spendenrat) seal, and donations are tax-deductible in Germany.