Stray dogs put to death

Shock report from NCDL on fate of stray dogs reveals that 40 a day are put to death

According to a recent report from the National Canine Defence League (NCDL), the UK’s largest dog welfare charity, Britain is belying its reputation as a nation of animal lovers by allowing 40 stray dogs to die every day.

The MORI survey for the NCDL revealed that:

• Last year there were 113,500 stray dogs in the UK, 14,800 (13%) of which were put to sleep.
• Out of these 113,500 stray dogs, 24,970 (22%) were passed on to welfare organisations, and 17,025 (15%) were rehomed by the local authority.
• There was an average of 263 stray dogs per local authority
• It is estimated that there is one stray dog for every 510 people across the UK
• Last year £56,600 was spent tackling the stray dog problem per authority, with an estimated £24.5m spent in total.

The survey revealed that Britain’s black spots included Northern Ireland where 6,000 (53%) out of 11,400 stray dogs were destroyed – one in every two dogs. However, Northern Ireland has the highest rate of return of stray dogs to their owners through microchipping.

Other black spots were the North-East where out of 9,300 strays, 2,200 (24%) were destroyed and Yorkshire, where out of 6,900 strays, 1,300 (19%) were destroyed.

Clarissa Baldwin, chief executive of the NCDL, said: “It’s easy to turn a blind eye to this senseless destruction but it is irresponsible dog owners throughout the UK who are condemning these dogs to death. Please get your dog neutered and microchipped and help reduce the number of strays on the streets.”

Paul Ounsworth, vice chairman of the National Dog Wardens’ Association, said: “This is a desperate situation – dog wardens are in this job because they love dogs, not because they want to put them to sleep.

“Obviously we are pleased to see thatthere has been a reduction in the numbers of stray dogs, but there is still a very long way to go.”

For information on your nearest Rehoming Centre contact (tel: 08457 646000)

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