Dogs dying by the hour
17 Sep 2009 08:02
EVERY HOUR of the day one stray dog is put to sleep somewhere in the UK, according to a survey carried out by Dogs Trust.
Figures just published by the charity show that 107,228 stray and abandoned dogs were collected by local authorities over the past 12 months which is an 11 per cent increase on the previous year and also the biggest increase since records began.
Dogs Trust is blaming the hike on the 2008 change in stray dog law in England and Wales when responsibility for them moved from the police to councils.
The charity also fears that the current financial crisis may have had an impact.
More than 9,000 unclaimed stray dogs were put to sleep by local authorities during the 12 months and the charity is calling on the Government to introduce compulsory microchipping for all dogs in the UK. It hopes this will reduce the problem and help reunite owners with their lost pets and trace abandoned pets back to irresponsible owners.
In the last year 31 per cent of the strays returned to their owners were able to be reunited because they were microchipped.
Handled by councils
The annual survey showed that an average of 12 stray and abandoned dogs an hour are now handled by councils.
Each hour five are reunited with their owners, three are taken to welfare organisations, one is rehomed from the local authority kennels, two are in kennels for their seven-day holding period and one dog is put to sleep.
The largest number of strays – 18,805 – were collected in the Midlands. The North West – with 15,871 – was in second place, and Wales third with 12,232.
From a total UK figure of 6,710, the greatest number of strays were put to sleep in Northern Ireland – 4,041. Even so, this represented a 21 per cent decrease on the year before. A long way behind Northern Ireland in second place was the North West with 969.
The number of dogs put to sleep in North Scotland increased by 833 per cent; in Tyne Tees & Border by 297 per cent; the South by 285 per cent; and East and Anglia by 253 per cent.
Dogs Trust chief executive Clarissa Baldwin said: “This is the largest annual increase since our records began in 1997.
“Previously we had seen a steady decline but the latest statistics show a huge jump in the number of stray dogs both handled and put to sleep by local authorities. Some dog wardens mentioned the recession could have been a contributing factor to the increase while others cited the change in the stray dog law last April.
“We believe that the time is right to review the Control of Dogs Order and we are calling on the Government to introduce compulsory microchipping of all dogs in the UK.
“Microchipping is an essential part of being a responsible dog owner and has helped so many people become reunited with their beloved pets.”
The charity says that compulsory microchipping already has significant support in the UK. It says that more than 90 per cent of local authorities and vets and almost 90 per cent of dog owners are in favour of its introduction.
To date, 45 MPs have signed a supportive Early Day Motion for the campaign and the charity has received additional support regionally from local MPs from all three of the main parties.
Dogs Trust spends approximately £5m each year in neutering, microchipping and education programmes in the worst affected areas of the UK – Northern Ireland, North West, North East and Wales. Since the campaigns began in 1999, more than 307,000 dogs have been neutered and 228,500 have been microchipped through the charity.