Thousands of pets being abandoned by heartbroken families as they struggle in the slump
And as financial hardship hits even harder, the signs are that the problem is escalating
Thousands of pets are being dumped by recession-hit families who can no longer afford to keep them.
Sanctuaries say they have been swamped as the number of once-cared-for animals abandoned in Britain has risen by nearly a THIRD in a year.
Many are simply dumped or left to wander the streets but some are handed over in person by their heartbroken owners... family pets made homeless by the downturn.
And as financial hardship hits even harder, the signs are that the problem is escalating.
“These animals are not unloved or unwanted, they have just become unaffordable,” said Mandy Jones, head of the rehoming service at the Blue Cross charity, whose 12 sanctuaries are caring for more than 1,000 animals, with 1,000 more on their waiting lists.
“In hard times it’s hard economics – increasing numbers of people are having to give up their pets. For some, but sadly not all, it is an act of devotion.
“They are not wilfully neglecting their pet, in fact they are being responsible owners.
“They accept, painful as it is, that they can no long feed or care for the pets they love.”
The Blue Cross charity has seen a 28 per cent increase in pets being brought to its centres. It believes most are the result of the intense pressure on family finances.
Last year 1,991 were handed over, abandoned or found as strays, compared with 1,553 in 2010.
As well as smaller pets, there has also been a surge in homeless horses. One equine rescue centre in the affluent Cotswolds countryside has been full for months, with 50 horses in care and at least 20 on the waiting list for a place there. The cost of keeping a horse has doubled in less than two years, to about £250 a month.
Gemma Taylor, who runs Burford Blue Cross’s Equine Centre, described one case of a pony, Molly, which had been left to fend for itself in a muddy paddock.
The animal was seriously underweight and one eye was so badly infected that it had to be removed.
Gemma said: “In the beginning she was very nervous and wouldn’t be handled. You could see all over ribs. She was in a terrible state. Now she’s a brave, handsome girl. She walks, trots and canters. She’s a brave little pony.”
The RSPCA said that many of its rescue centres are full.
A spokesman said: “The economic slump is having a major impact on animals.”At Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, calls for help are already 30 per cent up on last year.
The charity, which has three sites in London, Berkshire and Kent, received 630 from dog owners and 500 from cat owners in January alone.
It says last year 1,858 dogs and 1,264 cats were given up, often because the owners could no longer afford to feed them. That was an increase of 15 per cent from 2010 when 1,601 dogs and 1,104 cats were handed in.
“More and more owners who are losing their jobs, moving to a smaller home or being evicted can’t keep pets,” said intake assistant Woody Woodford-Price. “It’s desperately sad but they have no alternative.”
Helen Lecointe, manager of Woodside Sanctuary near Plymouth, added: “We have watched some really tragic scenes as owners come to part with pets that they may have cherished for years. I will never forget the sight of one small boy sobbing hysterically as his parents took his dog away from him to leave it with us.”
She said in another case a middle-aged couple, who were losing their home because they could not afford the mortgage, wept as they left their 10-year-old lurcher at the sanctuary. Helen said: “They planned their decision carefully but even so it was a terrible moment for them when they had to hand him over.
“They turned around and walked out of the door very quickly without making a fuss about saying goodbye.”
She added: “It’s distressing for animals as owners leave because they sense something terrible is happening. The recession has damaged them too.”
A very sad read x
Fri Apr 20, 2012 8:40 am
