Dogs abandoned to uncertain fate

[Crossfire Bulldogs]

Wakefield Today - UK

NO longer loved or cared for by their heartless owners, thousands of dogs have been dumped on the city's streets this year.
And the reality facing some of the one-time family pets is the prospect of a vet’s syringe administering one final injection as they are put to sleep.

Just this month alone, more than 117 dogs of all shapes, sizes, ages, breeds and in varying conditions of despair, have been found abandoned.

And out of that number, around three dogs are put to sleep each week.

As the district’s stray dog crisis is on the verge of spiralling off the scale, Wakefield Council’s Dog Warden service and the kennels used are struggling to cope with the huge problem.

Staff at Springfield Kennels, in Ossett, where the pups are taken, do all they can to comfort the unwanted animals who often take days to regain the trust of humans.

Gwen Heppenstall said: “A lot of the dogs do not understand why they are suddenly not loved by their owners anymore. All dogs want is to be loved, it is very sad, these are sad times.”

Jeanette Connelly also works at the kennels.

She said: “Dogs are hard work but some owners do not put enough effort into training them and then the dogs become unruly or aggressive.

“We try to avoid, at all costs, putting any dog to sleep. But often with old ones or aggressive ones there is no way we can rehome them. On average we put down three a week.”

“It is not just a case of that great idea of buying a puppy for Christmas turning into the nightmare of an unwanted plaything by Boxing Day that the kennels have to deal with.

“Many of the dogs we get are old or have become unruly and the owners just want to get rid of them and shirk their responsibility – we have to take on that as well.”

Staff at the kennels have seen many cases of animal cruelty and are hardened at dealing with such cases but there is still an emotional strain that goes with the job.

Mrs Heppenstall said: “It really cuts us up with the old dogs, you can see they need medical attention. Their owners should have done the right thing and had them put to sleep but they do not because they do not want to pay for the vet bills.

“Everybody says it is just Christmas time when dogs get abandoned but the worst time is just before and then we get the Christmas rush with all the unwanted puppies.”

Even when owners of the dogs are traced and contacted by the kennels, some refuse to pay the fee to get their animal back.

Legislation requires that every dog brought to Springfield Kennels stays for eight days. After that period all efforts are concentrated on getting the dogs rehomed. Some go to the Dogs Trust at Leeds, pedigrees go to specialist homes or are found new homes, but not all are so lucky.

Dog warden Diane Marsden said: “People dump them, thinking they will be rehomed.

But some owners do not realise the cold, hard fact that after seven days a dog may be put to sleep.”

The Dog Warden Service is urging potential new dog owners to consider adopting a stray after a strenuous vetting process.

There is a rehoming fee but this includes a free microchip, which identifies the dog, and a reduced price neutering voucher.

Anyone wanting to adopt a stray should contact Springfield Kennels on 01924 271028.

To report stray dogs call the It’s Your Call hotline on 0845 8506506