Abandonment

Animals affected

Dogs, Cats

Range

Internacional

AREA OF FAADA ACTIVITY

Spain

Description

288,000 animals considered to be “companions” (dogs and cats) were taken in by shelters and animal welfare centres in Spain in 2022, according to a study by the Affinity Foundation. This figure counts those animals that make it to centres, there is no data for those that remain as strays, which may be killed in accidents or by diseases, or be taken in by individual households. From the animals that arrived at the shelters during 2022, only 26% of the dogs were identified with a microchip, and in the case of cats, only 3%.

The main reasons for abandonment are:

Unwanted litters.
The end of the hunting season.
Behavior problems.
The loss of interest in the animal.

Nowadays, putting down animals in animal shelters has been banned in Catalonia and Madrid, but in the rest of Spain those animals which are not lucky enough to end up in animal welfare centres are killed a few days after arriving at the shelter unless their family comes to claim them or they are adopted.

As well as abandonment, in this section we will also address the overpopulation of animal welfare centres and dogs’ and cats’ homes throughout the country. The banning of killing animals in these centres is a major goal, but making progress in this is of no use if it is not accompanied by awareness campaigns to educate people about the need to adopt animals instead of buying them and the importance of not breeding them.

In 2021, 60,500 animals from unwanted litters entered to the shelters.

Through Wiki FAADA there are answers to questions we often get asked about abandoned animals. For example, what we can do if we find a stray animal in the street, how you should deal with the need to give up the animal you are caring for, or what you should do if you lose the animal you live with.

Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us if you have further queries about abandoned animals, a blight on society which we shall eradicate if everyone chips in.

Our action

We tell people and raise awareness about these problem areas and their solutions in order to halt this grave situation.
We report cases of abandonment in Catalonia.
We carry out a campaign in Spain to help private individuals implant identity microchips and neuter/spay their animals: Soy Responsable.
We put pressure on the authorities to carry out prevention campaigns and enforce existing legislation by penalising cases of abandonment.
We are working towards creating protocols of identification of animals killed in traffic accidents so that the person responsible can be reported and penalised.

What can you do?

Always give your animal an ID chip so that you can find him if he gets lost. Also giving him a name tag with your phone number on it is very helpful.
Spay or neuter your pet. As well as helping control the population and reduce abandonment, your animal will enjoy better physical and psychological health.
When you decide to increase the size of your family with an animal, take time to think about what it means and always chose to adopt from a shelter or animal welfare association.
Spread the message of animal welfare, telling the people you know about the existing problems and benefits of population control.
Report illegal breeders to the competent authority.