Donegal animal rescue shelters remain under increasing pressure due to a surge in strays and surrendered dogs, as new figures reveal that there are currently 3,227 dogs in rescues and pounds across Ireland.
Animals in Need Donegal, the ISPCA Donegal Animal Rehabilitation Centre and Twin Towns Lost and Found Dogs contributed to the first-ever national census of homeless dogs in Ireland.
The MADRA Dog Rescue charity shared the census data today, World Animal Day, to shine a light on the dire situation faced by innocent animals.
The figure of over 3,000 dogs does not include the hundreds of dogs that are on waiting lists for a space in a shelter.
In Donegal, 264 dogs stayed in the Letterkenny Dog Shelter in 2022. Of these dogs, 109 were strays, 141 were surrendered by their owners and 14 dogs were seized. This is a marked increase from the previous year, when a total of 155 dogs went through the Pound in 2021. The figure is expected to be even higher in 2023.
There are many contributing factors to the situation, including the continuing post-pandemic surge in abandonment and surrender of dogs, some due to the dogs being under-socialised which in turn has led the dogs to develop behavioural problems which their owners can’t handle.
The housing and cost of living crisis further exacerbates this, with families finding it increasingly difficult to care for their pets.
Carelessness and refusal to spay female dogs contributes to a huge amount of unwanted litters, particularly with collies and lurchers. These dogs often languish in pounds and rescue centres for months as they are often overlooked by people who want a pet dog.
Rescues are also seeing an increase in dogs being surrendered and abandoned with complex and expensive medical needs.
In recent years, there has been a concerning 95% increase in the number of stray dogs entering dog pounds, as reported by the Department of Rural and Community Development. In 2022, the number rose to a staggering 8,116 from 4,165 in the previous year.
A spokesperson for MADRA said “After years of progress between rescues and pounds, and a huge effort to engage with and educate the public, it is heart-breaking to see the numbers of homeless dogs rising and animal welfare taking an enormous step backwards”.
Of the 264 Letterkenny Pound dogs in 2022, 59 dogs were reclaimed, 48 were rehomed by the Pound and 148 were transferred to Rescues to be rehomed (Animals In Need and the ISPCA), up from 94 dogs rehomed by Rescues during the previous year. Three greyhounds were surrendered/strays and were rehomed by the Dog Shelter.
Animals In Need usually has about 30 dogs at a time and a huge waiting list of people wanting to give up their dogs. The charity takes out dogs from the Letterkenny Pound that have served their mandatory five days in there without being reclaimed or adopted and then foster them until they can be rehomed.
The 3,227 dogs currently sitting in Pounds and Rescues around Ireland on World Animal Day are only the tip of the iceberg.
Dog Rescues and Local Authority pounds are full and MADRA state that is vital that action is taken on a government and community level to halt a crisis that is rapidly spiralling out of control.
In the meantime, there are ways the public can help:
- Opt to Adopt – Consider adopting a dog from a rescue or shelter. Give a homeless dog a second chance at a loving home.
- Spay and Neuter – Support and promote responsible pet ownership by spaying and neutering your pets. This helps control the population of homeless animals.
- Educate and Consider the Commitment – Before bringing a dog into your life, carefully consider the lifelong commitment to dog ownership.
