An animal surveillance device for detecting stationary objects in a poultry house, comprising: a noncontact scanner adapted to emit electromagnetic radiation in a scanning direction and to receive a reflection of the electromagnetic radiation, an electronic evaluation unit which is in signal communication with the scanner and adapted to evaluate the signals received from the scanner, wherein the scanner includes at least one scanner unit comprising a transmitter for transmitting an electromagnetic scanning beam in a predetermined direction and a receiver for receiving a reflection of the scanning beam from said predetermined direction and that the evaluation unit is configured to calculate a transit time signal (120a-d, 130a-d) from the reception of a reflected signal emitted from the scanner unit and from the transit time of the signal and to produce a transit time profile for the scanner unit from the transit time signal received over a period, characterised in that the evaluation unit is configured - to record, in a calibration mode, a first transit time profile and to store the first transit time profile as a transit time profile pattern in the transit time profile memory, and - to record, in a surveillance mode, a second transit time profile and then any further transit time profiles, if necessary, and to compare said second and each further transit time profile with the transit time profile pattern, wherein the evaluation unit includes a counting means and is configured to store in the counting means the number of structures detected at regular time intervals and/or at regular spatial intervals by the scanner. a noncontact scanner adapted to emit electromagnetic radiation in a scanning direction and to receive a reflection of the electromagnetic radiation, an electronic evaluation unit which is in signal communication with the scanner and adapted to evaluate the signals received from the scanner, wherein the scanner includes at least one scanner unit comprising a transmitter for transmitting an electromagnetic scanning beam in a predetermined direction and a receiver for receiving a reflection of the scanning beam from said predetermined direction and that the evaluation unit is configured to calculate a transit time signal (120a-d, 130a-d) from the reception of a reflected signal emitted from the scanner unit and from the transit time of the signal and to produce a transit time profile for the scanner unit from the transit time signal received over a period, characterised in that the evaluation unit is configured - to record, in a calibration mode, a first transit time profile and to store the first transit time profile as a transit time profile pattern in the transit time profile memory, and - to record, in a surveillance mode, a second transit time profile and then any further transit time profiles, if necessary, and to compare said second and each further transit time profile with the transit time profile pattern, - to record, in a calibration mode, a first transit time profile and to store the first transit time profile as a transit time profile pattern in the transit time profile memory, and - to record, in a surveillance mode, a second transit time profile and then any further transit time profiles, if necessary, and to compare said second and each further transit time profile with the transit time profile pattern, wherein the evaluation unit includes a counting means and is configured to store in the counting means the number of structures detected at regular time intervals and/or at regular spatial intervals by the scanner. <EOS>