Authority has been exercised:
In a recent development, the Bavarian Higher Administrative Court (BayVGH) in Munich has granted an appeal and prevented the Vizsla dog named Bella from being returned to her previous owner.
Bella, a dog that was almost starved to death, was taken to the animal shelter in Munich back in February 2025. Since then, the Munich-Land veterinary office has been caring for Bella, nursing her back to health over several months.
The decision by the BayVGH is an interim one, limited in time until the final trial. The Bavarian State Prosecutor, at the request of the Munich-Land veterinary office, filed an appeal against the decision of the Munich Administrative Court to return Bella to her owner.
The animal protectors were horrified when they found Bella in her life-threatening condition. They feared renewed weight loss, neglect, severe health problems, or even dangerous accidents if Bella were to return to her previous owner.
The spokeswoman for the Munich Animal Protection Association expressed her pleasure with the decision and hoped the situation remains as is. She stressed that this is still an interim decision and the final decision on Bella's case is still pending, as the main proceedings are still ongoing.
A petition for Bella has been started, which has now collected 84,210 signatures. If everything goes well, Bella can stay with her foster family forever. The decision of the BayVGH on the appeal is final and binding, but an officially valid mediation release is not yet available to the animal shelter and animal protection association.
The first report about Bella's case was made on July 22nd. Since then, there have been no relevant or recent search results regarding the case of the Vizsla dog Bella in Munich or any decision made by the Bavarian Administrative Court about her return to her previous owner. It might be best to consult official Bavarian court records or trusted local news sources covering Munich dog law cases for the latest accurate information.
The Senate of the BayVGH has clearly positioned itself in Bella's case, according to a spokesperson. The decision was made by the Bavarian Administrative Court (BayVGH) in Munich in an urgent procedure. As of now, Bella does not have to return to her previous owner in Unterhaching.
Bella is currently doing well and the Munich Animal Protection Association is hopeful that she will continue to recover and find a permanent home with her foster family.
Mental health concerns about Bella's well-being were raised due to her past health problems and possible neglect. In light of these issues, the science community might focus on studying the long-term effects of trauma on dogs like Bella to improve health-and-wellness and mental-health standards for dogs in similar circumstances.
The BayVGH's decision to keep Bella with her foster family aligns with the holistic approach of health-and-wellness and mental-health programs, which emphasize providing stability and consistent care for animals recovering from traumatic experiences.
