The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Owners give up on so-called ‘dangerous’ breeds of dogs
Pets: Animal sanctuary inundated with canines portrayed as ‘antisocial’
A Highland animal sanctuary is being inundated with so-called “dangerous” dogs as their owners give up on them.
In recent weeks, Munlochy Animal Aid on the Black Isle has been inundated with species including stray cross American bulldogs – three of those in the past week alone.
Rescuers are concerned that the recent highvolume is a sign that irresponsible
“Some suffer quite badly at the hands of their owners and need help”
dog owners may have given up on their pets. But the increase is also attributed to other, individual circumstances.
The three bulldogs are thought to be about a year old and possibly from the same litter.
Iona Nicol, who operates the North Kessock sanctuary, believes their owners probably found the breed hard work.
“We’re incredibly busy at the moment, not just with dogs but cats,” she said. “We have a waiting list to come in but our facilities are really packed out.
“That may not in itself be that unusual. What is unusual is the length of the waiting list.
“We have a huge number of cats and a waiting list. We’re the same with dogs.”
She said a big problem was the number of widely perceived “antisocial” dogs needing a home, such as the American bulldogs and crossbreed Staffies.
“Unfortunately, there’s a preconceived idea about that type of dog which is unfair,” Mrs Nicol said. “It’s not the correct thing to do to judge every member of a breed because you get one bad dog occasionally. Some suffer quite badly at the hands of their owners and need all the help they can get. They need caring, responsible homes. They make lovely family pets, some of them.”
She cited another example of a woman asking for help because her husband had died and she felt unable to cope with her two dogs due to her own ill health.
A spokeswoman for the Scottish SPCA said: “American bulldogs can be a powerful breed and they require experienced and responsible owners.
“We’d advise anyone considering taking on a dog to do thorough research into the breed they’re interested in to ensure it’s a suitable match.”