Covid: Dogs bought in lockdown being abandonedon October 23, 2021 at 6:06 am

- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -

A charity says animals that cannot be sold are disguised as fake strays so rescue centres take them.

People have tried to sell their lockdown dogs on Gumtree before disguising them as “fake strays” to rescue centres, a charity has said.

In March, it was reported that households in the UK had bought more than 3.2 million pets during lockdown.

Hope Rescue said centres had seen an increase in dogs being dropped off and the number was now at its highest in its 15-year history.

The charity expects this will be the case for another two years.

Its rescue centre in Pontyclun, Rhondda Cynon Taf, said some dog owners have called a dog warden and pretended their own pet is stray, or taken the dogs directly to a rescue centre claiming they found it abandoned.

One-year-old Maggie, an old English sheepdog crossed with a golden retriever, was taken in as a stray but the next day staff saw a recent advert on Gumtree, putting her up for sale for £500.

Sara Rosser, head of welfare at Hope Rescue Centre, said: “We have to take stray dogs and so fake strays are jumping the queue ahead of dogs that really are abandoned.

“It is definitely unprecedented numbers at the moment.”

Maggie
An advert for Maggie the dog

She said in the past week alone, five had come into the centre that they knew were fake strays, but the number “could be much higher”.

The centre now has 150 strays – more than it has ever had before.

She said: “The rescues are full and then the vets are ringing us saying ‘is there any chance you can take them because we’re concerned that dog is going to be put to sleep’.”

Charlie, a six-year-old terrier

Image source, Hope Rescue

The centre said these were “desperate times” and others like them were at “crisis point”.

Centres are at capacity, Ms Rosser said, because of the increase in people getting dogs during lockdown who now realise they cannot look after them as life returns to normal.

She added: “At the moment what we’re hearing from all the rescue centres that we work with is that they are also full and that they are under massive pressure.”

Sara Rosser

Dogs arriving at rescue centres post-pandemic are said to have a higher incidence of health or behavioural problems, or both, making them more difficult to rehome.

Often these dogs have no background information on any such issues, which lengthens the adoption process.

Hope Rescue said it had received more than 7,000 applications to adopt dogs in 2021 and has had to suspend applications because of the volume.

Often, dogs cannot be transferred to other rescue centres because they have also reached capacity.

Meg Williams, enterprise development manager at Hope Rescue, said: “We think this is going to be lasting for two to three years, maybe even longer.

“The problems are going to continue, not everyone is choosing the right dog for their household.”

- Advertisement -

Discover

Sponsor

Latest

When Jesus is used to steal from his flockon December 2, 2021 at 12:51 am

William Neil "Doc" Gallagher used Christian radio to defraud religious pensioners out of millions.

Man Utd-Villa & Hull-Everton FA Cup ties live on BBC Oneon December 9, 2021 at 12:00 pm

Man Utd's FA Cup third-round tie at home to Aston Villa and Everton's trip to Hull City will be shown live across the BBC.

Bank of England governor defends rate hike ahead of looming recessionon August 5, 2022 at 7:15 am

Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey warns price rises would be long-term if Bank did not act.This video can not be playedTo play this...

Partygate: MPs to share evidence ahead of Boris Johnson TV grillingon March 22, 2023 at 12:01 am

The ex-prime minister is fighting accusations he misled Parliament over lockdown parties in No 10.Image source, EPA-EFE/REX/ShutterstockBy Paul SeddonPolitics reporterMPs investigating Boris Johnson over...

HMP Thorn Cross: Killer is second inmate to abscond in two dayson March 25, 2022 at 8:17 am

Police hunt for killer Shane Farrington after he absconded from HMP Thorn Cross in Cheshire.Image source, Cheshire PoliceA second inmate has absconded from a...