Charities warn of influx of unwanted dogs
A major dog rehoming charity is expecting a huge influx of unwanted dogs when people no longer have to stay at home because of Covid-19.
Corina Fitzsimons of Dogs Trust said it was a lot like Christmas now because people had lots of time on their hands.
“We have heard anecdotally from people we know who work in pet shops that people are buying puppies online.
“We expect there will be a huge influx of requests to surrender a dog from people who had rushed out and bought dogs at this time.
“Because they are at home they probably think it is a great time to get a dog,” she said.
The dog welfare charity that is solely reliant on the public to continue their work across Ireland received an average of six requests to surrender a dog every day during January.
Between December 2019 and January 31 this year, the charity recorded an alarming 185 calls and 50 emails from people trying to relinquish their dog.
Many people do not consider all aspects of dog ownership including the essential socialisation and training needs, the cost involved and life-long commitment of dog ownership.
Ms Fitzsimons said it was also important that people who are at home with their dogs at this time should distance themselves from them for an hour or two during the day.
“Obviously, if there are children around you have to supervise all interactions,” she said.
“I have dogs and right now I am upstairs in my office. My dogs are downstairs and I have given them something to do for an hour or two.
’’If I go back to work and I have been with them 24 hours a day they will get really upset.”
Dogs Trust has closed its dog rehoming centre to the public because of coronavirus but staff are caring for the dogs as usual.
However, it has been overwhelmed with people asking to foster dogs at this time and there had been an increase in the number of people asking to adopt.
“We have had over 500 requests from people wanting to foster for us.
"We are looking for people to foster in Connaught and Munster because we have 80 dogs in boarding facilities and we have to find homes for them.
“People can’’t obviously visit our centre but there are lots of things we can do to get the adoption process rolling online.
“We can do virtual home visits for fostering and adoptions and have the forms filled online. We can also bring the dogs safely to people and maintain social distancing.”
Meanwhile, Cork Dog Action Welfare Group has announced it will not be homing dogs because of coronavirus.
The charity, founded in 2007, has a shelter in Charleville, where they currently have around 20 dogs and a further 20 are with fosterers.
Avril Kelly is one of five women with Cork DAWG who rescue abused, straying, surrendered and abandoned dogs and give them a second chance at finding a loving home.
Ms Kelly said they had people waiting to adopt dogs but they could not see the dogs because they would have to go into their fosterers’’ homes.
“It is affecting us but, in saying that, last week we appealed to people to foster dogs and we got a fantastic response.
A lot of people who are off work because of Covid-19 have offered to foster dog.
“When the fosterers go back to work we could be in a bit of trouble but we will get the dogs homed then hopefully,” she said.
Asked how the sanctuary will survive beyond the coronavirus crisis, Ms Kelly said she did not know.
“Our fundraising activities have all been crucified by coronavirus. We have no money coming in,” she said.
“My rehoming job is at a standstill until people can start to come out of their houses and meet the dogs.”
Ms Kelly said their phone was still hopping with people calling to say they no longer wanted their dogs.
“We have great fosterers and people have been so good but I don’’t know how we are going to keep going.
“We could be in trouble but we will never ignore a stray dog.
"We will always take the animal in and find somewhere for it."
