Pound dogs & how we began
In 2007, I set up Pound Dog Rescue Link to raise awareness about the vast number of dogs in pounds across the UK who are facing destruction. This work led to starting my own rescue, Once Loved Dog Rescue.
In UK pounds, dogs have 7 days in which to be re-claimed by their owners. If they are not re-claimed, as is too often the case, the authorities then have the legal right to destroy the dog.
According to The Dog’s Trust 2007 Stray Dog Survey, 7,892 dogs were unnecessarily destroyed in the UK in 2007. The Dog’s Trust survey in 2009 showed an increase of 11% in the number of abandoned and stray dogs picked up by local authorities, with the figures increasing to a staggering 107,228. These figures are shocking and unacceptable. Over 9,000 of these dogs, who were unclaimed by their owners, were destroyed. This is an average of one dog being destroyed every hour. 31% were returned to their owners due to having been microchipped.
On average each hour:
* 5 dogs are returned to their owners
* 3 are taken to rescue organisations
* 1 is rehomed from the local authority kennels
* 2 are in kennels for their 7 day holding period
* 1 dog is put to sleep
Some pounds are working with rescue groups and organisations to try and reduce the number of dogs that are being destroyed, but each dog has to be kept in the pound for 7 days to give the owner the chance to re-claim. This does not apply to a dog that has been ‘handed over’ by the owner, in these cases, a rescue space must be found within 7 days, after which the dog faces being destroyed. After the 7 days have elapsed, for dogs who are un-claimed, rescue spaces must be found urgently, and there is very little time to get dogs out of the pound to a place of safety. Due to the sheer number of dogs being abandoned or handed over to pounds, there are far more dogs needing help than there are rescue spaces available. Dogs are placed into emergency boarding kennels, to buy some more time to find rescue spaces, but funds are very limited, and more help is always in constant need.
I am constantly saddened by the amount of Staffordshire Bull Terriers that out-number any other breed serving their 7 days at pounds in the UK. I am still uploading photographs of staffie after staffie onto Pound Dog Rescue Link every day, and there is no evidence that the numbers are decreasing.
For more information please visit:
Regularly updated list of urgent dogs, at risk of being destroyed. These dogs are in need of spaces with rescues: http://www.dogrescuelink.org/category/urgentdogsatriskofpts
