The Affinity Foundation annually publishes data on abandoned dogs and cats , compiling information from shelters that have wanted to participate. In these data the municipal kennels are missing , many of them would not benefit from making these data public, especially those that systematically sacrifice those who are not adopted , we are talking about thousands of animals.
In the study presented in 2021 , which collects data from 2020 , always according to the information provided by protectors , 162,000 dogs and 124,000 cats were abandoned in our country, more than 700 a day . A number that makes your hair stand on end, but that makes us reflect on the real figure if data could be obtained from all the centers that welcome animals, whether they are kennels or private shelters. It should not be forgotten that not only dogs and cats are abandoned, but other species such as rabbits, ferrets, guinea pigs, etc., also suffer from it, although they are the eternally forgotten ones. However, the number is so significant that there are associations exclusively dedicated to the rescue of these small animals, giving them a second chance, if they manage to survive the harsh life on the street.
What opportunities do abandoned animals have?
- Malviving in the streets, going hungry, thirsty, cold or hot
- End up run over , badly injured in a gutter until death.
- End up in a municipal kennel where they will be put down without a chance.
- Rescued by Animal Protection Entities that will give them a new opportunity in a new family.
For what reasons are animals abandoned?
- Compulsive acquisition : an animal is acquired because we see it in a store , or at an adoption fair , it is not a thoughtful decision . that irresponsibility leads to abandonment with any excuse.
- Christmas gifts : animals are given at Christmas as if they were toys , in the end they get tired of them.
- End of hunting season : when the hunting season ends, the abandonment of dogs increases. Many are not good hunters and it is not profitable for the owners to keep animals that will not be useful to them the following year.
- Working dogs in the field : livestock dogs cease to have their function due to age or illness , many of these dogs end up abandoned.
- Vacation period : the irresponsibility of some animal owners leads them to abandon them when the vacations arrive. They do not contemplate, within the vacation budget , looking for destinations that accept animals.
- Puppies from unwanted litters : for example, a bitch can give birth to between five and seven puppies , the first three can be easily placed, the rest will end up abandoned .
What measures should be taken to reduce these figures?
It should be noted that the number of dropouts has decreased slightly in recent years, but the figures are so high that action is urgently needed. It is inadmissible that in Spain thousands of animals are still sacrificed in kennels , they are killed for a single reason: being born.
Approximately 75% of the animals that are abandoned do not have a microchip , in Spain it has been mandatory for decades, it is evident that there are no control protocols by the administrations for the owners, which facilitates their abandonment.
The Animal Protection Entities have been asking all political forces for forceful measures to reduce abandonment:
- Identification check :
- Check that the animals that circulate on public roads are identified with a microchip .
- Veterinary clinics notify municipalities if their clients do not want to identify their animals. The collaboration of veterinarians is important and essential since they care for animals such as cats , rabbits , ferrets , etc., that do not walk the streets.
- Regulate breeding between individuals: it is a very unpopular measure, but it is easy to understand, if people had information about the number of animals that survive in municipal kennels and that are euthanized , perhaps they would understand that the least we need is for more puppies to be born .
- Obligation to sterilize the nuclei where males and females live together: it is evident that in all places where animals of different sexes are kept, they will breed continuously. Many of these litters will end up dumped in some container or left in a box in a wasteland .
- Educate children in schools. For years, animal protection entities have claimed the need to educate children, from educational centers, in empathy towards animals, they are the hope for change. It is now a reality with the publication of Royal Decree 217/2022 , of March 29, which establishes the organization and minimum teachings of Compulsory Secondary Education that it says in its Article 7. Compulsory Secondary Education will contribute to developing in students the capacities that allow them to : k) (…) Critically assess social habits related to health, consumption, care, empathy and respect for living beings, especially animals , and the environment, contributing to its conservation and improvement.
A great advance of which we will see the fruits in a few years , with a society that is more respectful of the rights of animals.
- Pursue and punish all people who abandon their animals , they do not value the life of a living being , they only value the economic amounts that their actions can bring them. It is the obligation of the municipalities to ensure animal welfare , it is their obligation to comply with the laws. It is a matter of will, a will that can end the suffering and death of many innocent beings, but that will is lacking in many politicians , hence the shameful figures and continuing to lead the ranking of abandonment in the European Union.
Sources:
https://www.fundacion-affinity.org/sites/default/files/fundacion-affinity-infografia-abandono-2021.pdf
https://www.boe.es/buscar/pdf/2022/BOE-A-2022-4975-consolidado.pdf
