diff --git a/gerbil-manager-web/e2e/mock-api.ts b/gerbil-manager-web/e2e/mock-api.ts
index 6219a76..9d22412 100644
--- a/gerbil-manager-web/e2e/mock-api.ts
+++ b/gerbil-manager-web/e2e/mock-api.ts
@@ -135,6 +135,19 @@ export async function installMockApi(page: Page): Promise<MockDb> {
       if (method === 'PUT') return json(route, 204)
     }
 
+    // SEARCH-2b: distinct Herkunft (originBreeder) values, sorted — vor der
+    // generischen /gerbils/:id-Route abfangen.
+    if (path === '/gerbils/breeders' && method === 'GET') {
+      const values = [
+        ...new Set(
+          db.gerbils
+            .map((g) => g.originBreeder)
+            .filter((v): v is string => typeof v === 'string' && v.length > 0),
+        ),
+      ].sort()
+      return json(route, 200, values)
+    }
+
     // Sonderrouten zuerst (FEAT-1b/FEAT-4-Verträge)
     let m = path.match(/^\/gerbils\/([^/]+)\/photos$/)
     if (m) {
diff --git a/gerbil-manager-web/e2e/mock-data.ts b/gerbil-manager-web/e2e/mock-data.ts
index 3a7ebb3..5b143f1 100644
--- a/gerbil-manager-web/e2e/mock-data.ts
+++ b/gerbil-manager-web/e2e/mock-data.ts
@@ -58,6 +58,9 @@ function gerbil(
     colorVarietyId,
     originContactId: null,
     receiverContactId: null,
+    originBreeder: null,
+    // SEARCH-2b: backend stores a normalized name (lowercase, [\s._-] stripped).
+    nameSearch: name.toLowerCase().replace(/[\s._-]/g, ''),
     genotype,
     notes: null,
   }
@@ -70,8 +73,9 @@ export function seedDb(): MockDb {
       ...gerbil('kruemel', 'Krümel', 'female', '2025-03-12', 'w-kruemel', 'cv-agouti', 'Aa CC DD EE GG Pp spsp rere'),
       enclosureId: 'enc-gross',
       originContactId: 'con-meier',
+      originBreeder: 'Clan-Kleine-Chaoten',
     },
-    { ...gerbil('fridolin', 'Fridolin', 'male', '2023-05-01', 'w-fridolin', 'cv-schwarz', 'aa CC DD EE GG PP spsp rere'), enclosureId: 'enc-gross' },
+    { ...gerbil('fridolin', 'Fridolin', 'male', '2023-05-01', 'w-fridolin', 'cv-schwarz', 'aa CC DD EE GG PP spsp rere'), enclosureId: 'enc-gross', originBreeder: 'Zoohandlung Meier' },
     gerbil('luna', 'Luna', 'female', '2023-08-15', 'w-luna', 'cv-gold', 'AA CC DD EE GG pp spsp rere'),
     gerbil('balu', 'Balu', 'male', '2021-04-20', 'w-balu', 'cv-agouti'),
     gerbil('maja', 'Maja', 'female', '2021-06-11', null, 'cv-schwarz-schecke', 'aa CC DD EE GG PP Spsp rere'),
diff --git a/gerbil-manager-web/e2e/tiere.spec.ts b/gerbil-manager-web/e2e/tiere.spec.ts
index ee7d4f0..10eb210 100644
--- a/gerbil-manager-web/e2e/tiere.spec.ts
+++ b/gerbil-manager-web/e2e/tiere.spec.ts
@@ -15,22 +15,33 @@ test('Liste lädt und die Namenssuche filtert', async ({ page }) => {
   await expect(page.getByRole('link', { name: /Fridolin/ })).toBeHidden()
 })
 
-test('Herkunft-Filter zeigt nur Tiere des gewählten Kontakts (SEARCH-2)', async ({ page }) => {
+test('Herkunft-Filter (originBreeder) zeigt nur Tiere der gewählten Zucht (SEARCH-2b)', async ({
+  page,
+}) => {
   skipUnlessMock()
   await page.goto('/rennmaeuse')
   await expect(page.getByRole('link', { name: /Krümel/ })).toBeVisible()
   await expect(page.getByRole('link', { name: /Fridolin/ })).toBeVisible()
 
-  // Herkunft (originContactId) auf den Seed-Kontakt 'Zoohandlung Meier' (nur Krümel).
+  // Herkunft (originBreeder) auf die Seed-Zucht 'Clan-Kleine-Chaoten' (nur Krümel).
   await page
     .locator('label.field', { has: page.locator(`span:text-is("${t.fields.origin}")`) })
     .locator('select')
-    .selectOption({ label: 'Zoohandlung Meier' })
+    .selectOption({ label: 'Clan-Kleine-Chaoten' })
 
   await expect(page.getByRole('link', { name: /Krümel/ })).toBeVisible()
   await expect(page.getByRole('link', { name: /Fridolin/ })).toBeHidden()
 })
 
+test('Namenssuche ist trennzeichen-unempfindlich (SEARCH-2b)', async ({ page }) => {
+  skipUnlessMock()
+  await page.goto('/rennmaeuse')
+  // 'Krü mel' (mit Leerzeichen) wird normalisiert zu 'krümel' -> matcht Krümel.
+  await page.getByPlaceholder(t.searchPlaceholder).first().fill('Krü mel')
+  await expect(page.getByRole('link', { name: /Krümel/ })).toBeVisible()
+  await expect(page.getByRole('link', { name: /Fridolin/ })).toBeHidden()
+})
+
 test('Neue Rennmaus anlegen — Validierung + Erfolg', async ({ page }) => {
   await gotoSection(page, de.nav.gerbils)
   await page.getByRole('link', { name: t.newButton }).click()
diff --git a/gerbil-manager-web/src/api/gerbils.ts b/gerbil-manager-web/src/api/gerbils.ts
index 184bbc4..f43ba0a 100644
--- a/gerbil-manager-web/src/api/gerbils.ts
+++ b/gerbil-manager-web/src/api/gerbils.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,11 @@ export function getGerbil(id: string): Promise<Gerbil> {
   return api.get<Gerbil>(`${resources.gerbils}/${id}`)
 }
 
+/** SEARCH-2b: distinct non-empty originBreeder (Herkunft) values, sorted. */
+export function listOriginBreeders(): Promise<string[]> {
+  return api.get<string[]>(`${resources.gerbils}/breeders`)
+}
+
 export function createGerbil(body: CreateGerbil): Promise<Gerbil> {
   return api.post<Gerbil>(resources.gerbils, body)
 }
diff --git a/gerbil-manager-web/src/api/types.ts b/gerbil-manager-web/src/api/types.ts
index ebdedff..bcd7f6f 100644
--- a/gerbil-manager-web/src/api/types.ts
+++ b/gerbil-manager-web/src/api/types.ts
@@ -31,6 +31,13 @@ export interface Gerbil {
   colorVarietyId: string | null
   originContactId: string | null
   receiverContactId: string | null
+  /** SEARCH-1/2b: free-text Herkunft (Züchter) from the import; Gridify-filterable. */
+  originBreeder?: string | null
+  /**
+   * SEARCH-1/2b: normalized name (lowercase, [\s._-] stripped) — filter-only,
+   * not part of the returned payload; present here so it can be a Gridify field.
+   */
+  nameSearch?: string | null
   /** Compact GEN-1 genotype string, e.g. "Aa CC Dd EE GG Pp Spsp rere" (or "?"-wildcards). */
   genotype: string | null
   notes: string | null
@@ -56,6 +63,7 @@ export interface CreateGerbil {
   colorVarietyId?: string | null
   originContactId?: string | null
   receiverContactId?: string | null
+  originBreeder?: string | null
   genotype?: string | null
   notes?: string | null
   characterTraits?: string[] | null
diff --git a/gerbil-manager-web/src/pages/GerbilsPage.tsx b/gerbil-manager-web/src/pages/GerbilsPage.tsx
index 08691bf..5044ea2 100644
--- a/gerbil-manager-web/src/pages/GerbilsPage.tsx
+++ b/gerbil-manager-web/src/pages/GerbilsPage.tsx
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 import { useMemo, useState } from 'react'
 import { Link } from 'react-router-dom'
 import { de } from '../strings/de'
-import { listGerbils, updateGerbil } from '../api/gerbils'
-import { listColorVarieties, listContacts } from '../api/lookups'
+import { listGerbils, listOriginBreeders, updateGerbil } from '../api/gerbils'
+import { listColorVarieties } from '../api/lookups'
 import { andFilter, condition, type GridifyQuery } from '../api/gridify'
 import { GENDERS, GERBIL_STATUSES, type Gender, type GerbilStatus } from '../api/types'
 import { useApi, useMutation } from '../hooks/useApi'
@@ -11,10 +11,11 @@ import './gerbils.css'
 
 const PAGE_SIZE = 20
 
-// SEARCH-2: name search field. Switches to Pam's separator-insensitive
-// normalized field once SEARCH-1 lands (see conversation SEARCH-1); 'name'
-// works today via the contains hotfix.
-const NAME_SEARCH_FIELD = 'name'
+// SEARCH-2b: separator-insensitive search via Pam's normalized field. The term
+// is normalized the SAME way server-side stores it (lowercase + strip [\s._-]),
+// so 'clan kleine chaoten' matches 'clan-kleine-chaoten'.
+const NAME_SEARCH_FIELD = 'nameSearch'
+const normalizeSearch = (s: string): string => s.toLowerCase().replace(/[\s._-]/g, '')
 
 type SortKey = 'nameAsc' | 'nameDesc' | 'birthDesc' | 'birthAsc'
 const SORT_ORDER_BY: Record<SortKey, string> = {
@@ -30,7 +31,7 @@ export default function GerbilsPage() {
   const [status, setStatus] = useState<GerbilStatus | ''>('Active')
   const [gender, setGender] = useState<Gender | ''>('')
   const [colorVarietyId, setColorVarietyId] = useState('')
-  const [originContactId, setOriginContactId] = useState('')
+  const [originBreeder, setOriginBreeder] = useState('')
   const [sort, setSort] = useState<SortKey>('nameAsc')
   const [page, setPage] = useState(1)
 
@@ -40,14 +41,15 @@ export default function GerbilsPage() {
     for (const cv of colorVarieties.data ?? []) map.set(cv.id, cv.name)
     return map
   }, [colorVarieties.data])
-  const contacts = useApi(() => listContacts(), [])
+  const breeders = useApi(() => listOriginBreeders(), [])
 
   const filter = andFilter(
-    search.trim() && condition({ field: NAME_SEARCH_FIELD, op: 'contains', value: search.trim() }),
+    search.trim() &&
+      condition({ field: NAME_SEARCH_FIELD, op: 'contains', value: normalizeSearch(search) }),
     status && condition({ field: 'status', op: '==', value: status }),
     gender && condition({ field: 'gender', op: '==', value: gender }),
     colorVarietyId && condition({ field: 'colorVarietyId', op: '==', value: colorVarietyId }),
-    originContactId && condition({ field: 'originContactId', op: '==', value: originContactId }),
+    originBreeder && condition({ field: 'originBreeder', op: '==', value: originBreeder }),
   )
   const orderBy = SORT_ORDER_BY[sort]
   const query: GridifyQuery = { filter: filter || undefined, orderBy, page, pageSize: PAGE_SIZE }
@@ -59,7 +61,7 @@ export default function GerbilsPage() {
     setStatus('Active')
     setGender('')
     setColorVarietyId('')
-    setOriginContactId('')
+    setOriginBreeder('')
     setPage(1)
     setSort('nameAsc')
   }
@@ -164,13 +166,13 @@ export default function GerbilsPage() {
         <label className="field">
           <span>{t.fields.origin}</span>
           <select
-            value={originContactId}
-            onChange={(e) => onFilterChange(setOriginContactId)(e.target.value)}
+            value={originBreeder}
+            onChange={(e) => onFilterChange(setOriginBreeder)(e.target.value)}
           >
             <option value="">{t.filters.all}</option>
-            {(contacts.data ?? []).map((c) => (
-              <option key={c.id} value={c.id}>
-                {c.name}
+            {(breeders.data ?? []).map((b) => (
+              <option key={b} value={b}>
+                {b}
               </option>
             ))}
           </select>