PAWS Animal Rescue warns cost of living is leading to an animal welfare crisis

PAWS Animal Rescue fears that Ireland is experiencing the start of an animal welfare crisis caused by a rise in pet ownership rates colliding with cost-of-living pressures. The charity is seeing an increase in animals coming into its care with many Irish centres already full and others close to capacity, as rehoming slows down and more people are looking to give up their pets. 

The Tipperary based charity, that rescues and rehomes abandoned dogs from all over Ireland has rehomed 126 dogs thus far in 2022, compared to 191 by the same date in 2021.They currently have 105 dogs in their care and an outstanding vet bill of over €48,000.

At the core of what the charity does is the prevention or relief of suffering for animals. As many dogs rescued or surrendered are suffering due to illness, accidents, or ill treatment, a necessary part of their care requires veterinary treatment. Paws did receive some support via the Covid Employers Wage Subsidy Scheme, but didn’t qualify for any other Government Covid supports. This assistance kept their small team operating throughout the pandemic. However, the subsidy was based on income being 30% below the equivalent period in 2019, an almost impossible task for charities to predict. After a couple of one-off appeals and a legacy Paws has been informed that they did not qualify for some of the periods, and they now find themselves in the unenviable position of having to repay €25,000 to revenue in 2022.

Recent research by the Association of Dogs and Cats Homes (ADCH) shows that demand for rescue dogs has declined in the past year while the number of dogs being abandoned is higher in 2022 than 2021 and 2020. Although there seems to be a variation in the evidence for cat abandonments there is strong anecdotal evidence to suggest that there is a similar trend for cats.

70% of ADCH member rescues surveyed, report an influx of dogs with behavioural issues. This is in line with studies indicating that inexperienced dog owners are giving up dogs they acquired during lockdown and are now unable to care for, due to a variety of factors. Anecdotal evidence also suggests that there are similar reasons for the relinquishments of cats. This could be for many reasons including post lockdown lifestyle changes and the rise in the cost of living which directly affects the ability for owners and new adopters to be able to pay for the care of their animal.

Paws has seen an increase in relinquishment due to owners struggling to pay vet fees and a significant increase in the number of unwanted litters. Many animal rescues are now struggling to cope, and are at breaking point.

Halita Obineche, Executive Director of ADCH, said: “There was a huge surge in people getting pets in lockdown and we are dealing with the fallout. Inexperienced owners unable to manage pets with behavioural issues caused by poor training and a lack of socialisation; workers returning to the office; and now the rising cost of living, all combining to create a national animal welfare crisis.

“Our members emerged from lockdown struggling with a lack of funds and a dearth of experienced staff. They are overburdened – both in terms of space and the emotional toll of dealing with an epidemic of dog abandonment.”