Dog rescue centres in Lincolnshire and Newark say they've seen a big increase in unwanted animals
it's after lockdown restrictions were eased
Dog rescue centres in Lincolnshire and Newark say they've seen a big increase in unwanted animals after lockdown restrictions were eased. Many people didn't realise the costs involved or decided they didn't have the time for their pet.
There's also been concerns some dogs have been bought from unlicensed breeders who haven't carried out the proper health checks.
Becky Moseley from Bliss Cavalier rescue near Barton On Humber remembers one particular case:
"a man had purchased a Cavalier puppy - he'd had the puppy about 12 hours and realised that he had allergies. He tried to contact the breeder - but they were awol after they had had their money. So that puppy ended up coming into rescue. The owner admitted that he hadn't really thought things through"
Becky says rising prices have also played a part in the increase:
"It might have been a couple of years ago a few hundred pounds - now a 7 year old cavalier could sell for £3,000. So people were then selling these challenging dogs where they might have before come into rescue - they were selling those dogs online and they're ending up in completely the wrong homes, they weren't checking them out"
In Lincolnshire figures show 16% of dog owners have either returned a pet or know someone who has returned one during lockdown, That's according to research by John Burns Foundation. It also says Britain now has 12 MILLION homes with a dog, up from 9 MILLION before the start of the pandemic, after families took advantage of spending more time at home to buy a pet.