Birmingham faces a surge in abandoned dogs due to rising costs and post-pandemic life changes, revealing widespread animal welfare concerns.
Dog ownership rose during the pandemic. Life is different now, though. The cost of living also increased. Some people struggle to care for pets. This leads to neglect and abandonment cases.
Puppies.co.uk requested data from councils. They wanted numbers of abandoned dogs. They contacted 36 councils, but 27 gave data, and others did not.
The data showed a big problem. Around 585 dogs are stray each week. Since 2020, over 30,000 dogs got reported as abandoned. Birmingham had the most, at 134 weekly. Leeds was next, with 52.
The Animal Welfare Act protects animals. Abandoning pets is a crime. Owners must meet a dog’s basic needs. They must avoid suffering and pain for pets.
Penalties exist for breaking the law. Fines can reach £20,000. Jail time could be up to 51 weeks. People might get banned from owning pets. Rehoming is better than abandoning a dog.