AN IRISH dog charity has said that it has seen a 73% increase in surrender requests since Christmas when compared to the same period last year.
297 surrender requests have been submitted to Dogs Trust Ireland between Christmas Day and the end of January, in comparison to 172 last year.
This has led the charity to issue an urgent appeal for foster homes so it can continue to help as many dogs as possible.
"While many of the people who contact us do so because of extenuating circumstances, sadly many are telling us they underestimated the commitment dog ownership involves," said Ciara Byrne, Head of Communications at Dogs Trust Ireland.
"We are also continuing to see victims of unscrupulous breeders and families being ‘dog fished’ as misleading and often illegal online advertisements continue. Dogs are often advertised as being ‘hypoallergenic’ but as the causes of individual’s allergies can vary, no dog can be said to be 100% hypoallergenic, even if the breed or crossbreed doesn’t shed very much or the dog doesn’t have much or any hair."
One such case is Maggie a five-month-old Spaniel puppy who was fictitiously advertised as a hypoallergenic Poodle cross. Her family thought she would be the perfect pet, but their allergies flared up and as a result, Maggie was surrendered to Dogs Trust.
She is a very nervous dog, another indicator of poor breeding and the environment she was born into. Due to how fearful she was upon arrival; the charity sought a foster home for Maggie where she is being cared for and the family hope to adopt her.
Kate Horgan, Fostering Coordinator at Dogs Trust Ireland continued:
"We are urgently appealing for foster homes across the country. Fostering not only provides invaluable experience in caring for a dog but it plays a fundamental role in helping the most vulnerable dogs get back on their paws and gives them a better chance of finding their forever home, an incredibly rewarding experience for any dog lover."
