The self-proclaimed largest pet retailer in the world, which had 150 employees and 200,000 animals, has ended in bankruptcy. The announcement, which surprised 150 Duisburg employees, was made by Zoo Zajac GmbH, which filed for the opening of insolvency proceedings shortly before Christmas.
For now, as announced by the court on December 23, Sarah Wolf will be the one who manages the business, which has an area of 13,000 square meters, provisionally. Most of the animals are fish and reptiles, although there are also chickens, geese, ducks and many other species.
Despite the delicate situation of the business, Sarah Wolf stated that there is no reason to worry about the animals, since Business operations will continue without restrictions. In addition, the animals will be cared for all year round, including holidays and vacations.
It is not the only business that has to close the sector. One of the main reasons is the high price of electricity, much higher than international standards, in addition to non-wage labor costs, bureaucracy and increased social security contributions.
“The economic crisis continues to leave deep marks,” said Marc Evans, SME expert at the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DIHK). “More and more companies are having to close their doors,” he added. According to a survey carried out by DIHK, approximately one in three companies in Germany believe that they will have worse business next year.
