17,000 Healthy Dogs Destroyed In UK Last Year
Top dog charity calls for owners to take the lead in ending needless destruction
A MORI survey published on 7 July 2000 reveals that an estimated 17,000 healthy dogs were destroyed in the UK last year. The NCDL, the UK's largest dog welfare charity, believes that the actual number of dogs destroyed in the UK could be nearer 50,000 if all dog handling agencies are taken into consideration. This equates to around 137 healthy dogs being destroyed every day, either because their owners could not be traced or a new owner could not be found - a situation the NCDL finds totally unacceptable.
The good news is that the number of strays appears to have stabilised from the previous year, and is now estimated to be 122,000. Findings from this year's survey show that 58,560 (48%) of these dogs were returned to their owners, 17,080 (14%) were found new homes by the local authority and 25,620 (21%) were passed onto welfare organisations, and a further 14% were destroyed. The survey reports that there is 1 stray for every 535 people in the UK.
The NCDL is urging dog owners to take the lead in the fight against strays. The charity is asking all dog owners to have their pet neutered if they are not planning to breed from them, as unplanned litters of puppies is one of the most common causes of strays. Owners are also being urged to have their dog microchipped, as this means the dog will carry his name and address on him at all times, so that should he become lost anyone finding him can quickly and easily return him to his owner.
Clarissa Baldwin, NCDL Chief Executive, says:
- "I am devastated by the fact that around 50,000 dogs were needlessly destroyed last year. For a nation of supposed animal lovers this figure is nothing short of sickening. The NCDL is tackling this problem head on by investing considerable resource in areas of greatest need."
"The survey indicates a significant reduction in the number of strays put to sleep, however we will not give up until absolutely no healthy dogs are destroyed. The NCDL is encouraged by the fact that local authorities are investing more time, effort and resources into tackling this problem. However, no matter how many initiatives local authorities set up, the solution lies with the dog owners. Until there comes a time when all dog owners accept their responsibility the stray problem will not go away."
The NCDL/MORI survey also shows that the average amount spent by local authorities in the UK is 16356,500, an increase of 16312,100 from the previous year. The total spent by local authorities on tackling stray dogs is estimated at 16324.6 million. The lowest spending authorities are those in London and the Midlands, while the highest spending are found in Wales and West of England and the North East of England.
To find your nearest NCDL Rehoming Centre please call 0345-646 000.
Regional rankings for 2000 are as follows, with 12th position representing the lowest number of strays per head of population.
- Northern Scotland
- North East
- North West
- Borders
- Wales and West & Central Scotland
- South
- Midlands, East & Anglia
- South West & Yorkshire
- London
The NCDL is working towards the day when all dogs can enjoy a happy life, free from the threat of unnecessary destruction.
Technical details
The survey covers the period from 31 March 1999 to 1 April 2000. Questionnaires were sent to all 436 local authorities in the UK, generating a response rate of 60% (263 authorities.)Local authorities in Northern Ireland were also surveyed, but due to variations in legislation on what constitutes a stray dog, it would be inappropriate to compare NI figures with those of the mainland.
