Why Are More And More Pets Abandoned In Spain?

Experts state that a large number of the shelter residents live there not because of abandonment but because they have been lost. However, you can prevent this with a microchip.

Hundreds of thousands of animals are released around the world every year. Today we report on abandoned pets in Spain. Although the trend has decreased over the past decade, the number of abandoned pets in Spain is increasing again today .

The statistics don’t lie: there are more abandoned pets in Spain again

The Affinity Foundation carried out a study on pet loss and adoption in Spain in 2017. According to the results, 138,307 pets were admitted in the past year. Of these, 104,834 were dogs and 33,473 were cats.

2017 data from the National Institute of Statistics shows that the loss or abandonment  affects 1.7% of the over six million dogs in Spain and 1% of the country’s 3.5 million cats.

In 2008 the highest number of exposure was recorded, 156,858. In 2016, the number of lost or abandoned pets in Spain fell to 137,782, the lowest figure ever.

In 2017, however, the number rose slightly to 138,307 cats and dogs that found shelter in animal shelters and kennels.

The reality behind the numbers

Experts estimate that a large proportion of the animals that find shelter in animal shelters did not end up there because of abandonment  , but were lost.

The best way to prevent such a loss is to have the animal tagged with a microchip.

In Spain around 85% of dogs and 34% of cats are equipped with such a chip. Responsible animal husbandry means that you can locate your animal at any time.

If you consider that, then the digits are still a long way off from the ideal.

Far fewer cats can be reunited with their original owners than dogs. This is because the animals are often kept without a microchip.

Are more pets actually being abandoned in the summer?

Statistics show that most animals are released in the second quarter of the year. Especially cats, unfortunately, among them. Up to 43.5% of cats are abandoned.

However, suspension takes place all year round. There is no time of year when there is a sudden change.

There is a belief that a lot more animals end up on the streets just before the summer vacation that statistics cannot prove.

Irresponsible pet owners abandon animals because of unwanted reproduction. This is especially true for cats.

You can actually solve this problem simply by behaving responsibly and having the animals sterilized early on.