This small plant can be dangerous for pets: What owners need to know

This small plant can be dangerous for pets: What owners need to know
Photo: Bernd Weißbrod/dpa

It loves it warm and dry and therefore becomes a problem in some places in the summer: mouse barley. From a nature conservation point of view, the plant is harmless. But dog and cat owners should be careful.

An inconspicuous plant can become a problem for dogs, cats and other animals: According to the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of the Environment, mouse barley is spreading in the state.

From a conservation perspective, the species is harmless. However, the ripe seeds have barbs and can get stuck on clothing and shoes or in the fur and between the paws of animals. They can also get into the eyes and cause painful inflammation. “Animals should therefore be thoroughly checked after being outdoors in the summer months,” recommends the ministry.

Climate change promotes growth

Mouse barley (Hordeum murinum) often grows on the edges of roads or paths, railway lines or walls. It thrives particularly well in warm and dry conditions. Therefore, against the background of global warming, it is expected to spread, especially in urban areas, according to the ministry. In Baden-Württemberg, the plant is therefore mainly found in the Upper Rhine region, on Lake Constance and in the Neckar basin.

Mouse barley belongs here

Aniela Arnold, landscape ecologist at NABU Baden-Württemberg, emphasizes: “It is a native plant. It belongs here. There is no point in fighting it.”

Dog owners should check their animals carefully after a walk. To be considerate of wild animals, dogs should not jump around in taller vegetation anyway, says Arnold, who has a dog herself.

Dog owners beware

A spokeswoman for the Baden-Württemberg State Animal Welfare Association also says: “That’s nature.” She recommends keeping a close eye on pets’ paws and eyes in particular. “The animals show when something is wrong.” Pet owners have a duty to pay attention to this. If there is a problem with the eye, you should see a vet, she recommends.

According to a report by the Badische Neuesten Nachrichten (BNN), the inconspicuous mouse barley is being spotted more and more frequently in Karlsruhe, for example. After long, hot summer weeks, it is almost everywhere in the city. Many Karlsruhe dog owners are therefore exchanging information to warn about the plant.

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