icawc 2015 - when love breaks down - sandra duarte cardoso
TRANSCRIPT
When Love Breaks Down
Reasons for Pet Relinquishment in Portugal
Sandra Duarte Cardoso
Think about these numbersMore than 10 million dogs and cats are abandoned in Portugal…
… per year!
This is equivalent to the entire Portuguese population.
The abandoned pets are recollected by official municipality shelters and
the only solution is euthanasia!
Its an important problem of public health and animal well being.
The majority of stray animals have already had an owner and
a home.
A huge problem!
A huge problem!
The abandoned pets are recollected by official municipality shelters and the only solution is
euthanasia!
Its an important problem of public health and animal well being.
The majority of stray animals have already had an owner and a home.
Why do people abandon their pets?
Who are the people who abandon their pets?
Several studies in some countries
Salema (Portugal)
Divorce Hunters Expensive diseasesHolydays
Scarlett et al (dogs)
Personal problems AllergiesLack of time
Why do people abandon?
Development of a comprehensive study for Portugal
Questionnaire
Available between July 2012 and January 2013 (7 months)
In the regional official municipality shelter and in two animal protection associations’ shelters in Sintra and Cascais
67 valid questionnaires received
Included the characterization of the participant (age, income level, composition of the household, among others), as well as the relinquished animal (specie, gender, reproductive status, breed, among others) and the main reasons to
relinquish
WHO relinquishes an animal?
Women25-40 years old
non-owner
The majority of animals were relinquished by non-owners21 (in 34 owners who have relinquished their animal) said, in the
same day, that they were willing to have other animal in the future
Most lower incomeOwners who relinquishes want to
have a pet in the future
Relinquished animals
More dogs than cats were relinquished
54 in 67 relinquished animals were intact
What are the reasons to relinquish?
Emigration
Financial problems
Excess animals
Animal diseasesAllergies
Solutions?Further studies are required to
assess this social problem
Common European legislation for companion animal’s welfare and
protection
Share of experiences on several fields: lawyers, politicians,
veterinarian specialists in behavior and welfare and Non-
Governmental Organizations working together to achieve the
desired goal