‘Pandemic is piling on agony for dogs and their owners – but we can Change the Tale’
CHARITY RELEASES HEARTBREAKING EVIDENCE OF IMPACT OF COVID CRISIS ON PETS
Heart-rending calls by dog owners forced to part with their pets have been made public by a charity as part of a new ad campaign.
Dogs Trust has released an advert featuring recordings from owners making the painful decision to hand over their dogs to the charity, which has a branch in Loughborough.
The recordings have been shared as part of the charity’s ongoing Change the Tale campaign and highlight the anguish felt by owners whose lives have been turned upside down by the pandemic.
Based on trends seen during the last recession, the charity is braced for an increased reliance on its services, caring for dogs in need.
Between August last year and January 2021, Dogs Trust saw a 41 per cent increase in web traffic to its Giving Up Your Dog page, compared with the previous six months.
Calls featured on the advert, which can be viewed on YouTube, demonstrate how the financial fallout from the pandemic is putting a strain on many pet owners.
In one call, a woman explains the pain of having to give up her dog, having lost her job and home. Other callers cite the burden of increased working hours, firm closures, house evictions and financial struggles.
Two dogs for which Dogs Trust Loughborough has helped “change the tale” are devoted duo, seven-year-old Duke and six-year-old Duchess.
They arrived at Dogs Trust Loughborough in September after their owner could no longer keep them due to a change in family circumstances.
The Sims family - Mandy and Jeremy and daughters Taylah, 21, and Hannah, 19, had been looking to welcome a dog into their lives after their 10-year-old Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Roxy, died in 2019.
Taylah said: “We had been thinking about getting a dog, or two, for some time and we were just waiting for the right dog to come along. Then we saw Duke and Duchess and thought they were so adorable and we really felt we could give them the forever home they were looking for.
“Luckily, the Dogs Trust Loughborough team agreed and we adopted them early December last year.
“When they arrived, Duke ran straight in and sat on the settee as if to say, ‘I’m home!’ which was lovely.
“They are both gorgeous and really attached to each other so we are so pleased we could give them both a home.
“They are very chilled-out but Duke loves the snow and Duchess’ personality is starting to come out now and she is getting really playful.
“Duke is still on a special diet as he needs to lose a few pounds, but Duchess is at her ideal weight and they are both enjoying going out for walks.
“They have settled in perfectly and are really happy, as are we. We can’t imagine life without them.”