A large number of stray animals is created by society. There are a lot of people who get a pet without thoroughly considering their daily care, financial expenses and overall responsibility. Most importantly, people forget that an animal becomes a member of a family and lives for 10-15 years and therefore is not always going to be little, cute and playful.
Countless animals are euthanized every year. More animals are put down than are saved. Of course, this problem exists in every country and it can’t be considered as negligence of a certain city or country. In our daily practice we see many concerned people – veterinarians, pet owners, etc. – who strive to make a difference in such sad statistics. We rescue animals every day, however, not all unwanted animals get to experience our guardianship. Quite a few pet owners choose the easiest way to get rid of their animal – euthanize it or simply throw it out of the house.
Based on our experience, we can name main reasons why animals lose homes:
Negligence of an owner:
This problem is the most common in suburbs, small towns and some private homes neighborhoods. Animals are allowed to live by nature, meaning, they can roam freely in big surrounding areas, there is not much concern about their health and diet either. However, cats and dogs are highly reproductive animals and therefore, without human intervention, their sexual behavior becomes uncontrollable. Nobody wants to deal with the consequences and it only makes matters worse, increasing numbers of stray animals and eventually euthanasia.
Moving to a different location/emigration:
This is the most common problem we encounter. What complicates things is that people usually call us at the last minute before they move and there is no time left for any consideration. There are very few options in such situations – to throw the animal out, to euthanize it or to take it to a shelter. It is very sad that people can be so irresponsible and treat their pet like some kind of useless thing.
Birth of a baby:
With a birth of a new child come new responsibilities. People realize they can’t give their pet as much attention as they used to, they lose interest in it and it becomes a burden. Another argument is allergy. Furthermore, new parents start to worry about their dog’s behavior towards the child. It is important to understand that a pet becomes as important as other members of the family, therefore, in order to avoid such situations, people should carefully think about their future plans and then choose an animal (specific breed, character) accordingly. It is very common that, when a child gets older, a pet becomes his/her main object of interest and fun.
“I have no time for my pet”:
Sometimes people realize that they got not exactly what they expected. An animal grows up and is no longer small, cute and playful. Maybe it chews up a shoe, spills a glass of water on the carpet, animal care and food becomes expensive. People’s enthusiasm fades and they no longer want to take care of the animal. Excuses like “I work too much to take care of my dog”, “Kids don’t care about the cat anymore”, “We can’t give our pet as much attention as we used to” is a way to get rid of an animal. Just like a real example we’ve witnessed – a cat tore up the curtains so people decided to give her away.
A baby animal grew up:
A dog grew up to be bigger than expected. “We wanted a small dog, this one is too big to keep in the house”. “The dog is now 9 months old but acts crazy, it’s hyperactive”. We suggest that, when choosing a dog, you take into consideration not only its looks but also character traits and genes. First of all, if possible, take notice of one of the puppy’s parents and let that help you decide whether it meets your requirements. A growing puppy needs training, otherwise even the smallest doggy can start making a mess and keep you stressed out. So be willing to work with your animal and you won’t be disappointed.
Behavioral problems:
A dog barks too much, is hyperactive, aggressive, tears everything apart and jumps around. The problem lies in the lack of care and attention. If the dog doesn’t get enough exercises outside, it will use that energy at home. If you have a small dog, try to come home more often to save it from boredom and destructive behavior. Socialization with other dogs and people is vital in order to prevent aggression. That way dogs learn to view everyone as a friend and not an enemy. To avoid getting your things chewed up, adopt a dog that is over 2-3 years old. At that age it is easy to understand dog’s behavior and character.
Loss of interest in a pet:
Loving parents often give an animal to their child. As time goes by, a child become tired of walking the dog while other kids play outside carefree. It’s important that you, parents, take full responsibility to keep this experience fun for your child. The dog needs training, all the necessary vaccines, hygiene care and other daily needs that may not be interesting to your child. So be a responsible adult and remember that animal’s future depends on you.
Elderly people:
This is a painful but very important topic. We receive calls about animals left alone because their owners are too old to take care of them, are ill or died. We strongly advice that you take into account the lifespan of an animal and decide who will take care of it in case of emergency or your death. Animals are man’s best companions and they should be treated as such.
We are responsible for the ones we have tamed...
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Stray Animals Populations:
Where do animals on the street come from?
Abandoned
Owned roaming
Born on the street
Community dogs
Lost owned dogs
Abandoned: why are animals abandoned?
- Breeding: often the “owned dogs” have puppies, and the owner throws them out, or keeps a male puppy, throws out the mother and the rest of the puppies. Why are they breeding: Not sterilised? Allowed to roam and see other dogs? Kept at home with other dogs?
- Bites: dogs that bite, especially children, are often thrown out onto the street. In the UK they may be put into a shelter, rather than abandoned, but the may still be put to sleep. Why are they biting: not trained? Inappropriate human behaviour?
- Other personal reasons: change of circumstance, bored etc.
Owned roaming:
- Some owners routinely let their animals roam about on the streets. In many countries animals are used as guard dogs during the day to protect a family house, and then are let loose to roam during the night when the owners are back at home.
Animals born on the street:
- This means that stray dogs are breeding. Often stray dogs are not very healthy, so they do not have many puppies and many do not survive. This number is usually lower than people expect.
Community Dogs:
- Fed by people, but not “officially owned”. In some countries people like the dogs, consider them as part of the community, and having animals on the streets is not a problem (Asia). In other countries, opinions are diverse, some like the dogs, others dislike them.
- These animals breed, and are healthier as they are fed, so more of their offspring survive.
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