When talking about animal abandonment, it is widely tended to think of dogs and cats. But the reality is that an innumerable type of animal species is abandoned, as many as those that the human being has decided to have by his side: turtles, rodents, fish, rabbits, horses, pigs, birds…
Surely we would be talking about figures that would easily exceed that of our canine and feline companions. But, if there are no official records of the abandonment of companion animals whose identification is mandatory, what do we expect for the rest?
In this article, we are going to talk about just a few of them.
Horses
With each economic crisis , the abandonment of equids multiplies. Their maintenance represents a significant economic expense and the life of these animals can be more than 30 years.
You have to provide them with adequate food, which will depend on age, health status and activity, it is estimated that it will be between €600 and €800 per year.
We must also take into account the necessary care, such as regular fittings , and specialized veterinary care , both preventive (vaccines, deworming, regular check-ups, dental maintenance…) and that which may arise from a health problem or accident. These veterinary services cost more than those provided by small animal veterinary clinics, not only because of the obvious larger size of the horse, but also because it will require the professional to travel to the place where the animal is.
In addition, we must have adequate space , both for rest and recreation, and training classes. Unless you have a stable at home and a lot of time, the best option is to have it in an equestrian center, the cost of which will not fall below €2,400 per year in the best of cases.
Small mammals
Rabbits and smaller rodents (hamsters, gerbils…) are the “wildcard” that many parents resort to at the insistence of the child who wants a dog or cat. It is cheap, easy to get, appeases the child’s tenacity and takes up little space. But let’s not forget that they are LIVING BEINGS.
In most cases, they are acquired without taking into account their needs or how they interact with the human being. Many end up abandoned after seeing that they are nocturnal, that they do not allow themselves to be caressed, that they require specific hygiene habits or simply because the child ends up bored with them.
These animals are domestic , they are not field mice or like rabbits or hares. Although we believe that they will be able to live in the countryside, their abandonment in any environment is a cruel act of animal abuse.
water turtles
These reptiles are often incorporated into the family as a “first pet”. Just like small mammals, all you have to do is “scratch your pocket a bit” in any store to take away a container with a plastic palm tree with a cute little turtle to leave on a shelf and feed it “mini-prawns”.
Once again, an uninformed acquisition that will lead to the future abandonment of a living being. Water turtles need a spacious and acclimatized terrarium, balanced food, visits to the vet, daily cleaning, and let’s not forget that they can live up to 30 years!
As soon as the family begins to lose interest in the “new” animal and the turtle tank begins to smell, many irresponsible humans resort to leaving it in some environment outside the home, be it natural, such as rivers, or artificial, such as ponds. in parks or train stations…
Apart from the obvious animal abuse that once again involves vilely detaching ourselves from a living being for which we voluntarily decide to be responsible, and in a habitat that does not belong to it.
little birds
The possession of domestic birds in the home is part of a deeply rooted culture in Spain. From the traditional ones, such as canaries or parakeets, to the more exotic ones, such as parrots or nymphs, none escapes the scourge of being abandoned .
Other unfair victims of simple and compulsive acquisition . These birds begin to be a “nuisance” for their family when they realize the real needs beyond keeping it in a tiny cage on the terrace and giving it seeds: a spacious habitat, adequate feed, daily hygiene, veterinary checks. …
When he has already woken you up three times from your nap with his song or has scattered all the seeds on the floor after knocking over the feeder (because it is the only entertainment he has in his small space), just open the door of the cage and just let him fly.
Another ruthless abandonment that will cause suffering in a living being and that may also suppose, in the case of exotic birds , damage to other species. A problem caused by the human being who acquires it, some legislators who allow its sale and whose only victim is the animal.
