Dogs Trust Ireland Receives 412 Surrender Requests Since Christmas Day
Since Christmas day we have received 412 requests from members of the public seeking to surrender their dogs into our care
We have received 412 requests since Christmas Day from members of the public seeking to surrender their dogs into our care. Worryingly, this figure follows on from the 3,968 surrender requests we received last year, the highest volume we have seen since opening our doors in 2009.
The most provided reasons for wanting to relinquish a dog into our care are owners not having enough time, accommodation issues and exhibiting unwanted behaviours.
With shelters across the country struggling to cope with the volume of dogs they are being asked to take in and very little space to do so, cases of abandonment are being seen more frequently. We recently took in and cared for two emaciated Pitbull crossbreed puppies who were found at a bog in Donadea, Co. Kildare by a shocked member of the public.
The sight of these two, defenceless little pups with their bones protruding broke my heart. We know there is very little rescue space available at the moment by the sheer volume of dogs we are being asked to take in, but we are begging people not to abandon their dogs, especially young puppies who have very little chance of survival if not discovered quickly.
Sandra Ruddell, Assistant Manager at Dogs Trust Ireland
It’s incredibly upsetting to see the increase in dogs being abandoned, especially young puppies. While don’t know what would drive someone to abandon them in such a way, it’s clear that in their short lives, they hadn’t received the love and care that all puppies need. We are also worried about their mum and if there were any other pups in the litter. However, we’re glad these two pups are with us now, so we can nurse them back to health until they are ready to be adopted.
Corina Fitzsimons, PR & Communications Manager at Dogs Trust Ireland
While we were overjoyed to have been able to find loving homes for 1,042 dogs in 2023, we fear that 2024 will bring even more challenges as our resources are stretched to the limit. We are appealing for public to support us so we can be there to save the next dog who needs us, by donating to our campaign.
If you liked this page, tell the world!