Why Rescues fear the Summer Holidays

Why Rescues fear the Summer Holidays

Rescues up and down the country are gearing up for a very busy season. So many dog owners who wish to go away for a holiday have failed to book a kennel space and are finding that they are unable to house their pet for the duration. During the pandemic, numerous boarding establishments closed, leading to the remaining ones being booked months, if not years, in advance. Home boarders can be risky if they take on dogs that are not socialised with other dogs.

Sadly, the amount of dogs being dumped has risen to record levels so far this year and we have yet to have the main school holidays. Some irresponsible breeders that cannot sell their dogs are releasing them into the wild in large numbers. Many of these dogs are in poor condition, have never lived in homes and it falls to rescues and the local authority to deal with the problem.

We recently took in three young Labradors that had obviously been dumped in a field in Lincolnshire. When checked by the local dog warden all had been microchipped but none were registered so, no details of ownership available. We fortunately found homes for all of them but all three cost the Trust money to have them vet checked, vaccinated not to mention the cost of kennelling and food.

Last week yet another call from one of the local dog wardens to say they had an 8 month old Labrador that had been abandoned in Hampshire. She had an injured tail which was constantly bleeding and she was severely malnourished. We just managed to fit her into our kennels, but had to call our vet for treatment, adding more costs to the Trust. She has now gone to her forever home but will continue to require veterinary treatment and possible tail amputation, as the Trust always assists with pre-existing conditions when it rehomes.

Like most charities we rely heavily on public donations to help us care for these waifs and strays. Many smaller charities will I fear cease to exist as more and more pressures are placed upon them and their helpers and volunteers.

Anne Carter
Labrador Lifeline Trust
www.labrador-lifeline.com
Labrador Lifeline Trust Reg Charity 1076061