Animal abandonment is a very present problem in our society. In Spain alone, the shelters and municipal centers collect, each year, more than 300,000 dogs and cats Although it is a criminal offense, the figures for animal abandonment in our country they do not decrease.
Behind this problem we can find many causes, such as unwanted litters or loss of interest in their family. Most of them can be solved by making the population aware of the responsibility of caring for an animal. For this reason, in this article on our site, in collaboration with Peta Segura, we review the causes of animal abandonment and their solution
Data on animal abandonment
According to 2019 data collected by the Affinity Foundation, more than 306,000 dogs and cats reach animal shelters each year and municipal centers in Spain. Most of them are still dogs (183,000), although the percentage of abandoned cats is increasing, accounting for around 40% of all abandoned animals.
The animals most likely to be abandoned are large dogs and puppies and kittens. In fact, 8 out of 10 dogs are large. The number of purebred dogs is also increasing. In addition, most of the abandoned animals are not microchipped or sterilized.
As for the fate of these animals, only 44% of the dogs are adopted and 16% never leave the shelter of animals. Only about 23% of dogs are returned to their owners, so they are not considered abandoned, but lost.
Cats have similar adoption figures: 43% of them find a new family. However, more than 90% appear without a microchip, so their guardians cannot be found. As a consequence, 12% of the cats remain in the shelter, while 13% die in a short time.
Causes of animal abandonment
Most abandoned animals are picked up from the street or brought to the shelter by someone who has found them. In very few cases are the owners themselves who deliver them. Therefore, it is difficult to know the real causes of animal abandonment.
According to the Affinity Foundation, these are the main reasons for abandonment:
- Unwanted Litters (21%)
- Behavior problems (13, 2%)
- End of hunting season (11, 6%)
- Loss of interest in the animal (10, 8%)
- Economic Factors (6, 4%)
- Allergies (6, 3%)
- Change of address or transfer (6, 2%)
- Lack of time or space (6, 1%)
- Hospital admission or death (5%)
- Birth of a child (2, 6%)
- Divorce (2%)
There is a false myth that holidays are one of the main causes. However, only 0.8 % of animals are abandoned for this reason. The abandonment of dogs is stable throughout the year and that of cats is concentrated in their breeding season (spring-summer).
Consequences of animal abandonment
The abandonment of dogs and cats represents a great expense for the public coffers. For example, in Catalonia alone, some 50 million euros a year are allocated to the problem of abandonment [1]In addition, we must remember the efforts of many people who, daily, dedicate their time to helping these dogs and cats, many of them voluntarily.
Finally, this practice supposes a great suffering for the animals First of all, because they are separated from their guardians and find themselves lost without knowing what do, exposed to lots of dangers, such as being run over or mistreated. With luck, they end up in an animal shelter or shelter, where, sometimes, there are problems of overcrowding, diseases, lack of hygiene, etc.
Generally, the puppies stay for a short time in the shelters (around 3 months). In contrast, the average stay for adult animals is around 10 months. Some of them, usually the larger dogs, may spend the rest of their lives in the shelter or moving from foster to foster until they die.
For this reason, it is very important to encourage the adoption of dogs and cats, as well as take measures to prevent animal abandonment.
How to avoid animal abandonment?
There are many strategies to prevent animal abandonment. The microchip is one of them. It is a compulsory practice and, if it is not carried out, it can lead to a sanction for the tutor. However, we must make even more effort to make people aware of the importance of its use, especially in case of loss.
Given the main causes of animal abandonment, it is essential to promote sterilization to avoid unwanted litters, as well as promoteeducation of dogs and their guardians to improve coexistence and avoid unwanted behaviour.
Likewise, it is essential to strengthen the laws and increase the pen alties for abandonment. So is foment responsible adoption of animals. 42% of people who adopt do so because they are aware of this problem, so more than 90% of adoptions are successful.
Finally, the most effective measure to prevent animal abandonment is awareness and education of the population. The objective is to achieve a greater commitment on the part of the people who decide to take care of an animal, making them understand that this decision implies a great responsibility: it requires a lot of time and also an economic effort. Check out the following articles on How Much Does It Cost to Keep a Dog and How Much Does It Cost to Keep a Cat to make sure you can meet all their needs before making this all-important decision.
Pet Insurance
More than 6% of dropouts occur for financial reasons. Between 20 and 30% of abandoned animals have diseases, which could indicate that the family cannot bear the veterinary expenses. For this reason, Contracting pet insurance can be a good measure to prevent abandonment.
If you are going to adopt a four-legged friend, protect him from now on by taking out pet insurance. Take out the Pet Insurance Accident and Illness Insurance for very little per year. It will only take you a minute and you will have the security that, in the event of any unforeseen event, you will not have to incur large expenses or give up the company of your best friend.
