Why Do Some Owners Abandon Their Pet?

In this article, we won’t defend an attitude as cruel as abandoning an animal. Regardless of the reasons that led someone to act this way, the idea is to know the main causes. Would you like to know why some pet owners abandon their pet? Here we will tell you that.

Some owners abandon their pet

Millions of dogs (mostly) are strayed annually around the world. Many of them die, some are taken to shelters or kennels, and few are adopted by a loving family.

If you add to that the fact that not all of the owners had sterilized the pet, the problem becomes much bigger, because these abandoned animals reproduce at least once a year.

Abandoning an animal is almost like killing it. There is little chance that this pet will return to a home and most of them end their days either on the street or in a shelter, together with hundreds of dogs in their same condition.

Even in many countries, stray dogs are murdered in the cruelest ways we can imagine (from electrocution, going through the gas chamber, or being burned or poisoned).

Why do owners abandon their own pet?

There are several reasons why some owners abandon their pet. Possibly we can understand why there are so many dogs on the street, once we analyze these causes:

Illnesses

Some pets have a health problem that requires very expensive treatments that the family cannot afford. It may also be that the owner does not have time to take care of the animal’s recovery.

Behavior

A dangerous, disobedient, or unstable dog is at greater risk of being abandoned than a quiet, obedient, or harmless dog. Often the fact that the animal is not “perfect” is related to lack of training or patience.

Money

Having an animal in good condition is quite expensive. Spending on food and health is high and difficult to be made when someone does not have a job or has a lot of debt.

Change

Moving to live in a smaller house or a small apartment makes people choose to abandon their own pet, especially if it is a large one.

Age

Elderly abandoned dogs are more likely to be found than stray puppies. Why? Because, according to the thinking of these owners, they are no longer so “fun” and need more care.

See the dog as a toy

There’s nothing worse than giving a child a puppy as a Christmas or birthday present. The reason is very simple: the child will believe that it is a toy and will soon tire of it. As he will no longer pay attention to the animal and will have to feed him, the parents will choose to leave him on the street.

Owner’s illness or death

Often, when an elderly person dies or must be hospitalized, family members do not know what to do with their pets. They almost always end up abandoning the pet to its fate, even though it has been in the family for years.

birth of a baby

When a couple doesn’t have children yet and treats the dog like a baby, as soon as the family grows, they will no longer be interested in it and will likely leave it on the street.

Travel or vacation

Did you know that most dropouts occur in the summer? It seems that some people bother to have to leave the dog in a specialized daycare or in the care of a family member or neighbor and these individuals choose to leave them in the middle of the road.

unwanted litters

Not spaying females is a big problem, as once they have their offspring, many owners don’t know what to do with them. Rather than waiting for the puppies to be put up for adoption, some decide to abandon them, including the mother, in many cases. And it’s very difficult for everyone to survive!

No longer profitable

Dogs are used by people to generate money. Whether with races, fights or offspring, they become a source of profit. When the animal is old, sick or no longer able to have offspring, the animal is abandoned.

So we must say that having a pet is a big responsibility. Deciding to adopt a dog is a decision that should not be made impulsively.