Bornheim, Germany - A German dog owner is begging for support! Susanne Stieger's pup Boon is to be auctioned off following her divorce. Stiger hopes to win the auction so she can keep her beloved canine companion.
Susanne Stieger can't accept that her Labrador is being treated "like property."
But technically, dogs are considered property under German law.
Since the couple split in 2023, the dispute over the dog has escalated. Now, a Siegburg District Court has decided that Boon should be given to the highest bidder.
"Whoever can pay more gets him," Steiger writes in her call for donations on GoFundMe.
"It doesn't matter who took care of him, invested their time, or loved him day in and day out," she continued.
"To me, Boon isn't property. He is family. He is my companion and my heart."
The dog mom is a teacher who works in a children's home. She and her former partner got the now-5-year-old dog in 2021.
The 46-year-old says she trained him at obedience school, took him to every vet appointment, and says that she's the one responsible for getting Boon certified as a therapy dog.
But Boon is more than just a companion; for Steiger, he's also a co-worker: "We work as a team in a children's home. Boon's more than just a dog there. He's a safe space. He's a source of comfort and a reliable companion for many kids."
Dog owner doesn't want her ex to get the lab!
Susanne described her ex as Boon's "co-owner" and says he was "hardly" present in Boon's everyday life.
The fact that her ex could have the chance to keep Boon by paying more at the upcoming auction makes her livid, and hundreds of donors agree.
Stieger collected 11,907 euros of her declared donation target of 13,000 euros.
Last Sunday, Steiger gushed over the overwhelming response, saying, "I feel like everyone here is on my side, and I'm not facing this alone. Thank you very much!"
Despite the support, she's still worried, however: "Unfortunately, it’s safe to assume that the other side will bid very high. That’s why they've been pushing for an auction from the start – because the other side has one thing: money!"
It's unclear if Stieger has collected enough to win Boon yet. If she loses, though, she has said that she'll return the money.