Zoo Zajac in Duisburg: fight for the future of animals and jobs!

Zoo Zajac in Duisburg: fight for the future of animals and jobs!

Zoo Zajac, the largest pet shop in the world, faces considerable financial difficulties. At the end of 2024, an application for provisional bankruptcy was applied to the Duisburg District Court, which has now been approved. Despite these difficulties, business continues to run, but the approximately 150 employees fear for their jobs. One reason for the difficult situation is the increased prices for purchasing goods, transport and energy costs, which the company put a great strain on. In addition, there were failed credit negotiations for interim financing that contributed to the crisis of Zoo Zajac.

The company, known for an impressive range of around 3,000 animal species on around 13,000 square meters, offers everything from exotic snakes to popular pets such as rabbits and guinea pigs. Accessories such as dog lines and pond plants are also part of the offer. During the Corona pandemic, Zoo Zajac had even recorded strong growth with annual sales of up to 15 million euros, but since the death of the company's founder Norbert Zajac, the economic situation has changed dramatically.

renovation process and bankruptcy money

The managing director Kathi Geven has stated that the salaries of employees are secured by bankruptcy money from the Federal Employment Agency. This information was sent to the employees immediately after the bankruptcy application was announced. In addition, the employees willingly show support for the necessary renovation measures. Talks with important suppliers are already underway to maintain sales activities.

Lawyer Sarah Wolf von Anchor Rechtsanwälte was appointed as a preliminary insolvency administrator. She will lead the renovation process and has confidently announced that the team would like to work on the stabilization of business. In the next few days it is also planned to set up a structured investor process to win potential donors for Zoo Zajac.

sale of the property and uncertainties

Another critical aspect of the situation is the sale of the property on the Konrad-Adenauer-Ring, which rented Zoo Zajac. The buyer of the more than 25,900 square meter area is Ruhr Real GmbH. Zoo Zajac only learned about this sale of land in mid -January, which took place before Christmas, and there is currently no information about which measures the new owner could plan.

The plans for the use of the site by Ruhr Real GmbH are already well advanced, which increases the uncertainty for Zoo Zajac. The managing director has emphasized that there are no details about future developments, which further heats up the concerns of the employees. It remains to be seen how the situation will develop in the coming weeks.

The challenging circumstances, in particular the changes in the regulations on the attitude of pets, have also led to the fact that certain animals are no longer for sale, which also tightens the crisis. Experts are now required to find solutions to save this traditional company and to ensure the professional care of the numerous animals.