Research out today has revealed that in the first 10 months of 2016, UK councils seized around 127 dogs a day – more than 38,670 total.
Pet insurer, Direct Line, who has released the findings discovered that of those almost a third (11,213 dogs) were rehomed and 1,238 dogs were sadly put to sleep.
The seizure of dogs has been on the decline over the past three years, having peaked in 2014 with 73,503 dogs seized by local councils (201 dogs per day). In 2015, there were 61,339 dogs seized by local councils (168 dogs per day), with the number of seizures this year indicating that we will likely see a continuation of this trend by the end of 2016.
But one constant factor in over the last three years has been that the Staffordshire Bull Terrier has topped the list of the most seized, and most commonly euthanised dog breed, according to Direct Line Pet Insurance.
Prit Powar, head of pet insurance at Direct Line said: “It is a shame Staffies top the list of the most seized breeds again and again. As with any dog, it takes energy, care and attention to train and Staffies are no exception.”
Adding to the findings, 8 in 10 dogs owners list Staffordshire Bull Terriers as the breed most commonly collected by councils, showing a general awareness of the breeds’ propensity to be abandoned. When asked why they think this is, around two thirds (65 per cent) said because of a lack of education about the dog breed and a lack of understanding about general dog ownership.
Prit Powar continued: “While it is encouraging to see that the number of dogs being seized is reducing significantly year on year, there is still a long way to go. As a nation of dog lovers, there really shouldn’t be tens of thousands of dogs seized each year. Dog owners have a responsibility to ensure they can care for their pet and if they can’t, should take it to a rehoming centre or animal welfare charity, not let it roam the streets.”
Here are some Staffies who have been abandoned or find themselves in rescue through no fault of their own who are looking for a new home to call their own:
Meet Flash & Angel…
These sweet older dogs are in rescue and looking for a new home together.
Find out more: http://www.dogsblog.com/flash-angel
Meet Buddy…
He arrived in rescue scared and lost, but has since grown in confidence. He’d love a home to call his own, could it be with you?
Find out more: http://www.dogsblog.com/buddy-221
Meet Penny…
Beautiful Penny finds herself in rescue after coming to rescue from a council pound after being abandoned and was due to be put to sleep. Now safe in rescue, she is coming out of her shell and would love to find a new home and family to call her own.
Find out more: http://www.dogsblog.com/penny-84
See thousands of more dogs in need of a second chance on dogsblog.com
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