Amsterdam is set to spend up to €100,000 on installing small wooden steps along city centre canals to help cats and other animals escape the water.
The steps are intended to prevent drownings in areas with high walls, following reports that 19 cats have drowned in Amsterdam’s canals over the past six months, six of them in the city centre.
Judith Krom from the Party for the Animals (PvdD) proposed using an unused €100,000 fund from the city’s biodiversity plan to finance the project. Animal welfare councillor Zita Pels had previously supported the idea but cited a lack of funding. On 10 July, the Amsterdam City Council approved Krom’s motion.
Krom said: “A simple measure can prevent enormous animal suffering. The adopted motion shows that we take responsibility for protecting animal lives.”
The city will collaborate with Dierenambulance Amsterdam to identify high-risk areas before installing the escape routes later this year.
Amsterdam is not alone in this effort. In June, Amersfoort announced plans to build around 300 cat traps along its canals and quays to prevent animals from drowning. Councillor Johnas van Lammeren said that mapping these locations with the help of the animal ambulance, a research agency, and local residents will allow them to install the traps where they are most needed.
The Amersfoort municipality aims to install roughly 300 cat stairs annually as part of a sub-environmental animal welfare program adopted in 2024.
