Credit Crunch Leads to 200% Rise in Dog Abandonments
Published on August 26, 2008 by Freelance Contributors · No CommentsCredit Crunch Misery for Britain’s Dogs
As the credit crunch bites, Britain’s dogs are losing their homes too.
The UK national dog adoption service DogsBlog.com is reporting a massive surge in the number of people seeking to rehome their dogs due to the knock on effects of the worldwide credit crunch.
The website, which is currently promoting National Dog Adoption Month, is seeing a 200% increase in the number of people asking for information on rehoming their pets.
The most common credit crunch related reasons for giving a dog up are:
1)Can no longer afford to keep the dog
2)Losing home / eviction – resulting in having to rent or live with friends and family
3)Being forced to work longer hours – not enough time to spare for the dog
4)Loss of job resulting in need to downscale to smaller property unsuitable for dog
National Dog Adoption Month has been set up to promote the concept of adopting a dog. One of the common reasons owners turn their dogs into shelters is because they are not prepared for unexpected changes in circumstances. National Dog Adoption Month is as much about preventing more dogs going into shelters in avoidable circumstances as it is getting more dogs out of shelters and in to new, loving, permanent homes. It seems the credit crunch is making that task extra difficult.
National Dog Adoption Month founder, Ryan O’Meara says there are ways to avoid the credit crunch resulting in dog rehoming:
“Dogs do and always will cost money and yes, they do need a place to sleep, a bed, food and water. But ultimately there are measures owners can take to ensure this period of economic belt tightening does not cost dogs their homes. Pet insurance, for instance, enables owners to have their veterinary expenses covered in the event of accident or illness. Pet insurance policies start from as little as £10 per month which is just 32p per day. Food bills can be reduced, dogs do not need to have the most expensive supermarket own brand pet food to be happy and healthy, they can actually be happier and even healthier if owners do a deal with their local butcher to get the day’s unsold raw meat at reduced cost.”
And for those people who are suggesting to us that eviction is causing them to make a rapid decision about rehoming, they should plan, plan and plan some more. If there is even the merest hint of losing a home, start talking with prospective landlords who will be happy to allow pets on their property. Very often a compromise deal can be had, provided it is planned for.
For instance, some dog owners offer their landlords what is known as a dog-bond, a simple contract drawn up that tells the landlord that the dog’s owner is happy to pay for absolutely any damage or inconvenience caused by their pet. This peace of mind can persuade many landlords to be lenient on their no pets policy.”
The concept of adopting a dog is supported by a growing list of celebrities. Amy Winehouse’s ‘Back to Black’ producer Mark Ronson has recently adopted and UK artist Lilly Allen is about to adopt a dog from Battersea dogs home, George Michael, John Barrowman, Geri Haliwell and Drew Barrymore are just some of the other stars who have enjoyed the enormous advantages of adopting a dog. Even US presidential candidate Barack Obama is being encouraged to adopt having promised his family a new dog regardless of whether he wins the presidential race or not.
National Dog Adoption Month coordinator Kim Bruce advises all potential dog adopters to consider the benefits of adopting a dog from one of the UK’s rescue shelters:
“There are currently over 100,000 dogs in shelter. With such large numbers, it goes without saying that there is a massive range of the type of dogs available. There are pedigree puppies, older dogs, junior dogs – literally all sorts. And one of the many great advantages to adopting a dog is the fact that the new owner can get a very good idea of how the dog is going to turn out in terms of size, temperament, behaviour and personality.
This is a luxury not afforded to puppy buyers. So in many ways, adopting a dog greatly reduces the chance of an owner running in to problems later down the line which can often result in a dog being given up for adoption in the first place.”
National Dog Adoption Month’s website – www.dogadoptionmonth.co.uk – has free advice and resources for anyone who is either thinking of adopting a dog or considering giving a dog up due to the credit crunch or other reasons. The National Dog Adoption Month official partner, D.A.P has even set up a free telephone line to offer dog adopters access to speak to a real person about any issue related to settling a dog in to a new home or advice for anyone who is struggling with their dog and thinking of giving them up: 01494 781510.
Ryan O’Meara recently discussed the issue of credit crunch related dog abandonments along with Rotherham Dog Rescue on ITV
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