Eleven stray dogs per hour picked up in the UK
Stray dogs are becoming a real problem within the UK as a staggering 96,892 strays were picked up by councils in 2007, working out at 11 dogs per hour for the year. These figures came from The Dogs Trust, via a research from GfK NOP.
According to Chris Lawrence, the veterinary director with the Dogs Trust, the number of strays picked up in 2007 was actually fewer than that in 2006. He added the number of stray dogs in the UK is still too high though.
According to Chris, the condition of the dogs found on the streets varies drastically:
Some dogs are really well cared for, and obviously have been much-loved pets and genuinely lost.
Others sadly in quite a bad state of neglect, obviously underfed and not properly cared for, many of them with long-term veterinary deficiencies that need treating.
In addition to the large number of stray dogs found, just under 7,000 dogs were put to sleep last year because they could not be rehomed.
Obviously some dogs genuinely get lost, they chase off after a rabbit, disappear into the woods and can’t be found again.
But there are a significant number of dogs that appear just to have been dumped.
According to Chris, the drop in morals in today’s society is partially to blame for the large number of dogs being dumped.
People now are less inclined to stick at things, to try and make a go of it, and less responsible.
He did add though that dogs that have been micro-chipped have a far greater chance of being found when they go missing. You can get your dog chipped very cheaply, and should you lose your dog you have a much better chance of having them found and returned to you.
