Dog welfare charity Dogs Trust Ireland today called for public donations to help cope with the almost 400 surrender requests received since Christmas Day.
“As a charity that relies solely on the generosity of our supporters, we are appealing for donations as the current dog crisis is putting a huge strain on our resources”, Ciara Byrne, Head of Communications at Dogs Trust Ireland, told The College View.
“Our aim is to keep as many dogs as possible, happy in their existing homes.”
The recent surrenders represent a 33% increase from this time last year and reflect an ever-present issue with dog owners nationwide. The fallout from the surrenders is an added wave of dogs on top of the 270 that Dogs Trust already has in its care at present.
Despite persistent campaigning for responsible dog ownership, many still opt to buy and adopt dogs as Christmas presents without effective foresight on how to maintain them beyond the festive period. The charity urges prospective owners to reconsider the timing of their adoptions before making the decision to welcome a furry friend into their homes.
“Puppies and new dogs need loving, stable, patient owners and a calm, quiet period in which to settle fully into their new home at their own pace. Christmas is simply not the time of year to make this commitment.”
In addition to hectic schedules at Christmas, leading causes of dog surrenders are unwanted behaviours, owners having little time owing to work commitments, and unsuitable accommodation such as apartments prohibiting pets or smaller houses without gardens.
According to Eimear Cassidy, Dogs Trust Ireland’s Regional Rehoming Manager, personal breed preferences negatively impact the achievable rate of adoptions.
“Sadly, we are struggling to rehome medium-to-large-sized dogs, especially those who are nervous or worried. We are appealing to people who work from home or are at home a lot of the day… and who are willing to give a dog a few months to settle in, to please contact us.”
Information on adopting dogs from the charity can be found on the Dogs Trust rehoming page.
Keith Kelly
Image credit: Dogs Trust Ireland