Germany: Dozens of sheep flock to central Berlin as shepherds demand higher wages

W/S Sheep led by shepherd dog, Berlin
M/S Sheep walking
W/S Sheep eating
C/U Sheep
W/S Sheep in front of Bellevue Palace
M/S Sheep eating
W/S Sheep in front of Bellevue Palace
M/S Shepherd walking with sheep
SOT, Misha Wenk, Shepherd (German): "[We are] here today to raise awareness, to get more respect for the sheep, for the work of sheep. To recognise the value, the landscape upkeep, the valuable upkeep of the landscape which sheep are doing here. We have to make it clear again to society and politics that shepherds can live off their work again."
M/S Sheep with a little dog
SOT, Misha Wenk, Shepherd (German): "More support. More possibilities to earn money with work. If you go to work you must be able to live off your job. And that is also what this is about. We have to maintain nature, sheep maintain nature. Without sheep there would be only forest, only monoculture, only forest and that would be a problem."
M/S Sheep eating
M/S Boy observing the sheep
M/S Sheep in front of Bellevue Palace
W/S Sheep walking
W/S Sheep crossing the street
M/S Sheep crossing the street
W/S Shepherd with the sheep in front of Bellevue Palace
SCRIPT
German shepherds rallied together with their sheep in central Berlin on Sunday to call for more respect for their job and better salaries.
The march departed from the House of World Cultures in Tiergarten park and arrived at the Bellevue Palace.
One of demonstrators, Misha Wenk, stressed the importance of sheep farming for the conservation of landscapes and diversity of species. However, Wenk pointed out that this great impact is undervalued. According to reports, the shepherds claim they require state support and higher prices on domestic sheep products in order to make a living.
Flocks of sheep help to conserve around 430,000 hectares of land in Germany. It prevents the extinction of a range of flora and fauna varieties and helps to protect coastal areas from floods.
"Without sheep there would be only forest, only monoculture, only forest and that would be a problem," Wenk concluded.