Amsterdam builds tiny staircases for animals in canals

Amsterdam is building tiny staircases so cats and other animals can climb out of the canals.

Amsterdam councillors have earmarked €100,000 to make the waterways safer for animals. Along the canals of Amersfoort in the Netherlands are hundreds of little wooden staircases leading out of the water and onto the banks. These special steps were installed as part of an initiative to protect wildlife that sometimes falls into the water and cannot climb out because of the high sides. Now, Amsterdam is looking to create similar escape routes for its small creatures. So far this year, 19 cats have drowned in the city’s canals, a statistic that has prompted local pro-animal party PvdD to propose taking a leaf from Amersfoot’s book.