Amsterdam is building miniature staircases to help cats escape its canals

Hundreds of wooden steps will be built to stop animals from drowning.

Hundreds of wooden steps, set to cost up to €100,000, will be built to stop animals from drowning.

According to animal welfare organisation Dierenambulance Amsterdam, in the past six months 19 cats have drowned in the canals, six of them in the city centre.

Judith Krom from the Party for the Animals (PvdD) suggested that the city spend an unused amount of €100,000 found in the city’s biodiversity plan to fund the safe wildlife exit points.

Zita Pels, Councillor for animal welfare previously supported the plan but had noted that 'funding was lacking.'

The Amsterdam City Council voted in favour of the motion on July 10.

Krom commented: “A simple measure can prevent enormous animal suffering.

“The adopted motion demonstrates that as a city, we take responsibility for protecting the lives of animals.”

Dierenambulance will work alongside the Dutch capital to identify areas where cats are most likely to drown before installing the animal escape routes.

The steps will be built at the highest-risk locations to help cats climb safely back to land.