Thomas Bierer Wins 2025 Baden-Württemberg Animal Welfare Award for Transforming Dogs' Lives
Thomas Bierer from Riegel has been honoured with the 2025 Baden-Württemberg Animal Welfare Award. The award recognises his exceptional dedication to dogs, particularly those with behavioural issues. Bierer runs a dog pension and leads the Toms' Dog Help association, offering a new lease on life to dogs in need.
Bierer's commitment to animal welfare is evident in his various initiatives. In 2021, he launched the 'Toms & KIDS' project, fostering empathy, responsibility, and social learning through interactions between children and selected 'patron dogs'. This project has been praised by the state government for its deep empathy and animal welfare-compliant approach.
Bierer also regularly visits Freiburg Prison, enabling inmates to interact with visiting dogs. This unique programme aims to promote rehabilitation and socialisation through human-animal bonding. The Emmendingen Veterinary Office, which considers Bierer a 'dog whisperer', nominated him for the award, acknowledging his worthy contributions to the field.
Bierer's dedication to dogs, especially those with behavioural challenges, has earned him the prestigious Baden-Württemberg Animal Welfare Award. His innovative projects, such as 'Toms & KIDS' and the prison visitation programme, demonstrate his commitment to improving the lives of both dogs and humans through animal-assisted activities. Bierer's work serves as an inspiration for others in the animal welfare community.
