Abandoned pets at an all-time high
Battersea Dogs & Cats Home has reported a record number of pets coming through its doors, seeing a 50 per cent rise in abandoned pets compared to last year.
The charity has received nearly 5,000 calls from struggling pet owners so far this year, and 1,340 in April alone - the largest amount it has ever received in one month.
Key reasons cited by owners giving up their pets are moving into rented accommodation, changes to working hours and insufficient time to care for their pet.
According to Battersea, the most rapidly growing cause of owners giving up pets was moving home, which is up 82 per cent this year compared to 2012.
Pets being given up due to changing work hours rose by 68 per cent this year, and owners claiming to have insufficient time to care for their pets rose by 55 per cent.
Whilst the charity says the recession has played a large part in the rising number of owners giving up their pets, a troubling number of people are buying dogs with limited understanding of the time and effort involved in their care.
"Unfortunately we are seeing more and more people contacting us because they have grown bored or they didn’t realise the hard work involved in owning a dog," says Liz McWalter, head of intake at Battersea.
Two independent vets have launched a podcast to help owners strengthen their bond with pets. Dr Maggie Roberts and Dr Vanessa Howie, who have worked in both veterinary practice and major charities, are keen to use their experience to enable people to give pets a better life.
