PADS set for influx of dogs needing a home
Perthshire Abandoned Dogs Society (PADS) is bracing itself for an influx of pets bought in lockdown which their owners can no longer cope with.
The warning of difficult times to come and an increase in residents at the Forteviot kennels coincides with new figures released by the Scottish SPCA.
The animal welfare organisation reported a 134 per cent increase in people looking to give up unwanted animals.
In the past four months (September 2020 to December 2020), Scotland’s animal welfare charity received 476 calls from people looking to rehome their animals.
This compares to 205 calls in the same period in 2019/20.
Calls about unwanted dogs increased by 103 per cent from 105 to 213. Calls from people looking to give up cats jumped 151 per cent from 61 to 153.
SSPCA predicted an increase in unwanted animals last year after an explosion in demand for pets among people at home due to the pandemic.
A generation of pups will have grown up in a household where the family is often around.
Once that situation changes it can be hard for a dog to adjust and this can lead to behavioural issues and separation anxiety.
When dogs become bored and destructive, many owners consider giving up their pet.
A SSPCA spokesperson said: “It is heart-breaking to see a healthy animal which loves their family given up because the owners have lost interest or not considered how their circumstances may change.
“We would urge people to consider a reputable behaviourist or training before they give up their pet.”
Perthshire Gundog Rescue is a charity run by trainer Carol Begg.
She told the PA that behavioural issues are on the increase: “We’re not having dogs surrendered but we are experiencing an insane increase in seriously bad behaviour in young dogs.”
Alison Kennedy, chair of PADS, told the PA the Perthshire kennels were currently “eerily quiet”, with only five dogs when they have capacity for up to 30.
But she expects that to change: “So far, PADS has not had the influx of dogs but we are acutely aware this could happen.
“We’ve been operating at Forteviot for 30 years and we have not had so many unwanted dogs in the past five years as we did when we first opened. But I fear that is about to change.
“I don’t think the impact of all those puppies bought last year has quite hit yet, but I forecast the perfect storm for our charity when the economy picks up.
“Certainly we expect to get dogs where owners have died from COVID-19 but in the month ahead we expect many to be surrendered because the people who have been at home caring for them have to go back to work and the animal becomes distressed because its life is turned upside down.
“It’s really disturbing to hear about people who paid highly to get a puppy they now don’t want have been trying to re-sell them in some cases.
“This has been a unique year past, but when we get the upturn in calls, we will be prepared.
“PADS has a list of people prepared to give an unwanted dog a home.”
Alison repeated the slogan put out recently by the Dog’s Trust: “A dog is for life. Not just for lockdown.”
Anyone considering giving up their animal should contact PADS on 01764 684 491 or the Scottish SPCA animal helpline on 03000 999 999 in confidence.