THE RSPCA fears the coming recession and the impact of ‘lockdown puppies’ will hit already-struggling rescue centres hard in coming months.
To date this year the charity has dealt with 2,211 incidents about dogs in the West Midlands alone.
During lockdown, Google searches for ‘Puppies near me’ increased sixfold with 15,000 searches compared to 2,000 in January 2020.
Government figures also show the numbers of licences issued for the commercial import of dogs more than doubled from 5,964 (June – August 2019) to 12,733 for the same three-month period this year.
The figures suggest this rise in demand is fuelling a worrying trend in breeding and importing of puppies, a potentially exploitative and damaging trade.
Now RSPCA experts fear an impending dog welfare crisis could be on the horizon in 2021 as families return to normal life and may no longer be able to take care of the puppy they bought during lockdown.
Coupled with a fear that the end of furlough and the deepening recession will hit families hard and some may no longer be able to afford their pets, this could put pressure on the already-stretched resources of rescue centres.
The charity is urging families to do lots of research and ensure they can commit long-term to a dog before bringing one home, but this Adoptober, it is also championing the benefits of rescuing instead of buying a puppy.
Throughout October, the RSPCA is shining a light on animals in its care which need a new home and promoting the benefits of adopting a rescue animal through its Adoptober campaign.
To find out more, visit http://www.rspca.org.uk
