NEWS AND COMMENT-ESSEX, UK: It looks as though a backyard breeder decided enough was enough because the market had fallen out of selling puppies at inflated prices in the UK after the Covid pandemic and then decided to abandon 20 cockapoos or jackapoos by the side of the road, but well off the road, where they were not readily visible. Fortunately, a passerby walking in the area spotted them and telephoned the RSPCA. It happened on Friday 29th, July 2022. This appears to be another example of what I describe as the catastrophe of post-Covid dog surrenders with them being given up to shelters causing saturation levels in some shelters. Or simply abandoned as in this case.
The problem is due to irresponsible dog adoption I have to say. People jumping in and adopting dogs to keep themselves company during those long lockdowns and then finding out that they can’t really cope looking after a dog because they’ve gone back to the office or they don’t like the cost of it. Result? Surrendered dogs. In this instance it appears to me that a backyard breeder has done exactly the same thing but in a highly responsible way which jeopardised lives.
One of the puppies (a female) had to be euthanised by a vet but fortunately the others have survived. There are 19 remaining and as you can see, after they’ve been cleaned up and checked over, they look adorable. They are all between 6-8 weeks old. There are 14 males and five females.
The RSPCA staff are unsure of the breed but believe that they could be either cockapoos or jackapoos. They were all scared (poorly socialised and traumatised?) when they were found huddled in a large cage looking very unkempt and in a bad way. It is fortunate that they were found quite soon.
They were treated with fluids with glucose and are being monitored. They are not yet ready to be adopted apparently but will be hopefully in the not-too-distant future. They are with foster carers. Many have been offered homes by staff at the vet’s office apparently.
The RSPCA thanked the passerby for responding so quickly and to the veterinary clinic who were able to take care of the pups over the weekend at short notice. The RSPCA are unsure where they came from but suggested it might be a puppy farm. It looks to me very likely that it is a backyard breeder. A genuine breeder would not do this and it can’t be a regular owner.
The RSPCA would be keen to hear from anybody who knows anything about the person who abandoned the puppies. The Times newspaper has referred to the dog abandonment problem today August 15, 2022. They say that Britons are parting with their pets at a rate not seen since the 2008 financial crash. This is a reference to the cost-of-living crisis as it is called.
The catastrophe of irresponsible dog purchases during Covid and the consequences
They report that animal charities are reporting rises in enquiries about rehoming pets. It seems that people are cutting their outgoings and one of the things to go is the family dog. Adam Clowes, the operations director of the Dogs Trust said that he hadn’t seen anything like this since after the financial crash in 2008. He said: “This cost-of-living crisis has crept up on us a lot more quickly than people ever expected.”
They are deciding whether they should expand an emergency support fund to owners with middle incomes. The fund is normally used to support people on welfare benefits.
People are being put off adopting dogs because of the cost-of-living crisis. One example is Pilar Gomez-Igbo, a film assistant, she said:
“As the change in living costs became more evident, yes definitely, it joined the list of things to consider. I will make myself wait a while.”
