- Media & Campaigns
- Press releases
- 2008
- February 2008
- Councils support "localising potential" of new welfare plan
- Taxpayers' Alliance to condemn council staff to a meagre retirement
- Average council tax set to be real terms freeze in 2008
- Drug strategy must not create two tier treatment system
- ‘Casino mirage’ has cost councils dear
- Seaside resorts may have to cut services to pay for free bus travel
- Standard school year cuts cost and confusion
- Response to housing strategy
- Councils key to unlocking creative economy - LGA
- Power to reward families who recycle should be introduced
- Response to Home Office Green Paper on citizenship
- More supermarket competition not necessarily good for local people
- New figures show households correctly recycling vast majority of items
- New LGA website shows how much cash is locally raised and spent
- Councils weigh in over innaccurate hospital scales
- 'Manilow method' could be a substitute for Mosquito to deter gangs
- This time it's personal - LGA launches fair care campaign
- Independent results show most councils performing better than ever
- Police chiefs should be accountable to local people through their council
- Getting council tenants back into work is 'a debate that needs to be had'
- Civil partnerships fall by 55%
- Throw-away society blamed for sharp rise in stray dogs
- Councils geared up for snow
Throw-away society blamed for sharp rise in stray dogs
LGA press release - 4 February 2008
The message that a dog is for life, not just for Christmas, appears to have failed miserably after a sharp rise in the number of stray dogs rescued by councils across England during the festive period.
A new survey of 55 councils by the Local Government Association found 40 per cent reporting an increase in the number of strays picked up in recent weeks, with some areas recording double the usual amount. Many are concerned that the figures are part of a bigger trend, with increasing numbers of dogs being turned out onto the streets throughout the year.
To add to the problem, councils are concerned that in April this year, as part of the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act, police will hand over out-of-hours responsibility for stray dogs to councils, placing even greater pressure on resources.
Record numbers of dogs were rescued by North Shropshire District Council's dog warden between December 22 and January 5. It reported a 75 per cent increase compared to the same time last year. Dog wardens returned just 21 per cent to their owners. The rest were taken to kennels, either because they did not have identity tags or because their owners are persistent offenders. Although most dogs are eventually found new homes, some councils are forced to destroy those that are difficult to place.
Twenty-one other councils (40 per cent) experienced a similar surge. Council leaders are calling on owners to make sure their dogs have an identity chip and a collar tag.
Examples include:
- Portsmouth City Council reported a 50 per cent rise compared to last year.
- South Gloucestershire experienced a 36 per cent rise.
- Croydon recorded a 77 per cent rise.
- Worcester reported a 100 per cent rise.
South Northamptonshire reported concerns that its Christmas figures are part of a bigger trend. It rescued double the number of strays throughout the year.
Hazel Harding, chair of the LGA’s Safer Communities Board, said: “Callous owners are just throwing their unwanted dogs away like rubbish. Many of them end up painfully thin and very sick because they just can’t fend for themselves. Quite a few get killed after being run over by cars.
“Not only is it cruel, it is also dangerous because some dogs can be aggressive. We have all seen the terrible stories about attacks on children.
“And, as every pedestrian knows only too well, stray dogs also cause an enormous amount of unpleasant mess on our streets.
“The increase in numbers of these poor animals means that councils are having to work extra hard to ensure people’s safety and to keep the streets clean. It also comes at a time when councils are about to take on the responsibility of providing a 24-hour service to rescue strays. People must make sure that their dogs are easily identifiable so that as many as possible can be reunited with their owners.”
Animal welfare officers say the “a dog is for life” message is being ignored because people fail to realise that cute puppies eventually become big, unmanageable dogs, without the right training. They also blame a ‘throw-away society.’
Helen Hunt, animal welfare officer at South Northamptonshire Council, said: “Unfortunately we have a ‘throw-away’ society which means that people regard things as disposable, including dogs. Not all owners appreciate the importance of dog training and therefore their manageable 8-week-old puppy soon grows into a dog that can be difficult to control. Owners can get bored or frustrated and then decide to get rid of the dog.
“However, most dog owners are responsible and realise that a dog is for life. Many of the strays within South Northamptonshire are well-loved pets and end up straying for many reasons. Straying dogs can be caused by careless actions by the owner, such as leaving a gate open by mistake, for example. This is why it is essential for all dogs to have an identity chip and a collar and tag with the dog’s full address.”
ENDS
Note:
The LGA took a random sample of 55 councils and asked for their stray dog figures from December 22 to January 5. 22 (40 per cent) reported an increase, 8 reported a decrease, and the rest said their figure was average for the time of year.
The 22 councils are North Shropshire, South Northamptonshire, St Albans, Croydon, South Gloucestershire, Kennet, Lichfield, Wealden, Shepway, Havant, Broadland, Melton, Richmondshire, Worcester, North Lincolnshire, Blaby, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Hinckley and Bosworth, Darlington, West Lindsey, Portsmouth and Kettering.
Carol Plumbly, a kennel assistant at Portsmouth City Council, is available for interview on: 07714 457724.
Contact: LGA Media Office, 0207 664 3333