Pet abandonment rates have increased through the economic downturn, as pet owners are forced to downsize their homes, according to Christine Baramilis, General Manager at the Sydney Cats and Dogs Home.
“People have to downsize their homes and therefore they can’t take their dogs, and that’s where it’s affected people,” Ms Baramilis said.
“It’s not that people can no longer afford to feed their dogs, but what they have to do is change their living circumstances and that’s how then you have an impact on how you care for your animal.”
To add to the problem, the summer holiday period is a particularly quiet time for pet adoption. “Not many people adopt over the summer period and that’s because people are going away and then they don’t have anywhere to leave their dogs, so they leave their adoption for after the holidays,” she said.
Ms Baramilis encouraged city dwellers to consider adoption, pointing to the benefits of being a pet owner. “Not only are you making a dog happy, but you are also improving your quality of life because many statistics show that people who have pets live longer and live happier and healthier lives.”
“We had a dog called Mick who was a lovely dog. It was a dog that was quite a character. The owner had to abandon him because she was becoming very ill and couldn’t look after him anymore,” Ms Baramilis said.
“The dog went to a family in Lilyfield and that had a really happy ending. The owner that abandoned that particular dog was extremely upset.”
by Ehssan Veiszadeh
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