Dog rescue warns of surge in unplanned pregnancies among collies

A Galway-based dog-rescue organisation has reported a “distressing” surge in unplanned pregnancies among working dogs.

MADRA Dog Rescue have written an open letter to farmers, caretakers of farm collies and sheepdogs, voicing their concerns.

In the letter, MADRA pointed out that unplanned pregnancies among farm dogs have been contributing significantly to the growing numbers of unwanted, abandoned and surrendered dogs in rural Ireland.

According to the organisation, it has resulted in an increasing number of puppies without homes, straining the resources of pounds and rescues like theirs.

“In our home county, Galway, over 44pc of dogs entering the county pound in 2023 were collies and the majority of these were picked up straying in the region of agricultural lands or as a direct result of livestock worrying,” they said.

“It is becoming almost impossible to find homes, even in rural Ireland, for collies. We are very lucky in that we can get some of the hundreds that come through our doors to a collie-specific rescue in the UK but the escalating numbers are surpassing capacity and the opportunity for rehoming in the UK is quickly drying up. These dogs will be left without any options.”

It said it was appealing to people to bring a halt to ‘unplanned’ pregnancies in working dogs. “This is a huge issue that affects not only our small dog rescue but the entire country. We are on our knees begging you to take positive action as we are stretched to breaking point.”

The rescue organisation added: “We acknowledge that your livelihood depends on breeding animals for a living, and the majority of you have huge respect and care for those animals until they are sold.

“However, the life of a working collie has changed, with so many of them made redundant due to changes and progress in the farming world.”

With no real market for the dogs that are abandoned, the organisation said that most of the animals that are given up to neighbours or friends usually end up in local pounds or rescues. “The pounds are full of yearling collies, sheepdogs and farm dogs that have been surrendered or abandoned once it became obvious these cute, fluffy, puppies were not in fact the perfect family pet.”