Did you find something?
Is the item worth more than 10 euros?
Then you must turn it in to the Lost and Found Office.
The lost and found office will take care of the items.
Maybe someone lost it.
Then that person can pick it up at the lost and found office.
The lost and found office keeps the items for 6 months.
No one claims the item?
Then you can keep it.
Or the lost and found office will sell the item.

Did you find an animal?
Then you have to tell the city.
Or you’ll need to contact an animal shelter.

If you’ve found a valuable item (that is, an item worth more than 10 euros), you must turn it in. The places to go are the local government lost and found offices. There, a report of the find will be filed. The item, the location and time it was found, as well as your personal information, will be recorded, since you may later be entitled to a finder’s fee or to the item itself if no owner can be identified after the deadline has passed.

Storage and Auction

The lost and found office is required to store lost property for at least six months. If the owner does not come forward within this period, you, as the finder, are entitled to the found item. If you do not exercise this right, or if the lost property consists of items found in public buildings or on public transportation, the city or municipality itself becomes the owner of the items.

These lost items are then publicly auctioned at longer intervals following prior notice from the Lost and Found Office. The proceeds from the auction go into the municipality’s budget.

Animals

Animals are also considered lost property. If you have found an animal, you should contact the responsible municipality and report the find there. In consultation with the municipality, you may also be able to turn the animal in there. It will then usually be placed in an animal shelter for further care.

You can also drop off found animals directly at an animal shelter without filing a report. The shelter will then file the report on your behalf, since without such a report, the municipality is not obligated to cover the costs of housing the animal.