The Spanish Royal Canine Society launches campaign against pet abandonment after lockdown
We are in the final stretch of the state of alarm, but only a few months ago, in the midst of lockdown, one of the few privileged people able to leave their homes and go outside were dog owners. There was a high demand for new adoptions, often out of altruism and selflessness, but unfortunately, as one might guess, not all for the same purpose. We saw surprising news like people renting out their dogs to go for walks, or direct sales for that purpose.
Added to this is the precarious economic situation and the arrival of summer, which is why an increase in the abandonment of dogs and other pets is feared. For these reasons, the Royal Canine Society of Spain (RSCE) has launched the campaign "Your best friend in sickness and in health" against pet abandonment once the lockdown ends after overcoming the toughest stage of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The purpose of this campaign is to a greater extent to prevent these abandonments, which may have already begun during quarantine, due to the unfounded fear that dogs could transmit the disease, something that the WHO has already debunked.
The RSC warns that there are two circumstances that can favor abandonment. The first, the economic situation: it is estimated that a pet entails an average outlay of 1,250 euros, between food, hygiene, veterinary care, etc. An amount that can be higher if the pet suffers from any pathology or requires very specific care.
And on the other hand, summer. It is true that this year will be an atypical summer as travel will be greatly reduced to domestic tourism and inland tourism like rural houses. But as unfortunately happens every year around this time, many will choose to leave their pet behind.
Unfortunately, Spain is the European country with the highest number of abandoned dogs and cats. In 2018, 138,000 pets were abandoned in Spain, according to the Affinity Foundation, numbers that the COVID-19 epidemic could increase this year.
From ARISTOPET, we want to make people aware that a dog is not a toy or a circumstantial entertainment, but a life companion and a responsibility for many years.
Julián Hernández, president of the RSCE, reminds us that "the last economic crisis left us with a bad legacy with many pets harmed and abandoned. If solidarity has shone throughout Spain in these difficult times, it must also be reflected in the animal realm. Because a dog is a friend for life that should never be left behind, neither in health nor in sickness."