More than 138,000 dogs and cats were abandoned in Spain in 2017

Every year the Fundación Affinity comes up with the annual figures from which, this time, it appears that 138,307 dogs and cats were abandoned last year. That number is almost the same as the year before in 2016 when it was 137,782, a 525 abandoned dogs and cats so in 2017.
138,000 abandoned pets in Spain.

Of the total number of abandoned animals, 104,834 were dogs and 33,473 cats. 43% of all these abandoned dogs and cats were adopted while 18% could be returned to their owners due to identification, while 16% still live in a shelter or asylum.

Unfortunately, euthanasia was committed in 2% of these animals, mostly because the animal was ill or showed aggressive behavior and it would be too dangerous to give such an animal into adoption.

The Fundación Affinity based its research for these figures on the data that the reception centers and shelters keep in Spain. This means that the number of dogs and cats abandoned could be many times greater

One of the main reasons for people to abandon dogs and / or cats are unwanted births or pregnancy. The second important reason on the list is the end of the hunting season and the economic factors while the bad behavior of a pet is in fourth place and the loss or lack of interest in the animal (as if it is a toy) is also one of the reasons given for abandoning an animal.

Unfortunately, the survey did not include the numbers of dogs and cats that are being killed.
91% of the abandoned dogs and cats were found on the streets while only 9% of the animals were brought to the shelter or reception centres by the owner.


Written by Remco Stoffer on behalf of SpainSites.nl.