Nearly 10,000 stray dogs were destroyed by local authorities* in the UK last year according to a new survey released today by Dogs Trust, the UK’s largest dog welfare charity. That’s an average of one dog per hour being put to sleep simply because their owners cannot be traced or new homes found for them.
The survey results, compiled by NOP World, also show that there were over 105,000 stray dogs collected by local authorities last year, meaning that there is one stray dog for every 557 people in the UK.
Dogs Trust Chief Executive, Clarissa Baldwin, comments:
“These figures are disturbing because of the sheer numbers of stray dogs being needlessly killed each year. Every dog should be a wanted dog and Dogs Trust will continue to fight for an end to this unnecessary destruction.
“On a more positive note, we have seen a 5% decrease in the number of strays and also a 2% decrease in the number of destructions over the last 12 months. This proves that the stray dog problem is solvable and we are calling on the nation’s dog owners to help us achieve this aim sooner rather than later.”
Being a responsible dog owner is vital in preventing the stray dog problem. By neutering and microchipping their dogs, owners can ensure that they do not add to a situation where so many dogs are unwanted. This is the ethos of Dogs Trust and last year the charity invested over £2.5 million in neutering and microchipping schemes in the worst affected areas. Since 1999 over 110,000 dogs have been neutered and 150,000 dogs microchipped through the organization. Anyone interested in finding out more about neutering and microchipping should call the Campaigns hotline on 0845 606 3036 or visit http://www.dogstrust.org.uk
As well as essential campaign work, Dogs Trust cares for over 11,500 stray and abandoned dogs each year through its network of 15 Rehoming Centres. As the UK’s largest dog welfare charity, Dogs Trust always goes the extra mile for dogs and plans are afoot for new sites in Glasgow and London.
*under the Environmental Protection Act 1990