| Are these questions coming to your mind? | | | | stray population of dogs. Municipality of our place will |
| What is pet dog abandonment? Why people abandon | | | | just collect the stray dogs and further handle the |
| their pet dog? What are the consequences of | | | | issue. It is illegal even for a municipality to round up |
| abandoning a pet dog? I have no option other than | | | | stray dogs and abandon them outside city limits, as it |
| to leave abandon my pet, is there any better | | | | places them in circumstances likely to cause their |
| alternatives or ways of doing it? Is there anyone | | | | death from starvation and thirst. Therefore, you |
| who can adopt my pet or anyone who can help in | | | | should not do this as it can be challenged in the court. |
| this process? Is there any animal welfare societies, | | | | Previously, municipalities would kill these animals |
| organizations associated with dog sheltering, dog | | | | (mainly dogs) cruelly by electrocution, starvation and |
| adoption? | | | | burying alive. After 1992, it became illegal for |
| Abandonment means to leave something with no | | | | municipalities to kill stray dogs. The High Courts of |
| intention of returning. Dog abandonment means to | | | | Delhi, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Mumbai and several other |
| leave your pet forever. Dogs are taken to a far | | | | states have specifically forbidden the killing of stray |
| place and left there so they cannot return back. | | | | dogs and have directed the municipality to introduce |
| Many a times they are left in some of the forests | | | | a sensible sterilisation programme instead. |
| jungles or to a roadside and left to the mercy of god | | | | Alternatives/ Better Ways |
| where they have no food or shelter. These | | | | If you are thinking of separating |
| abandoned pet dogs have different way of living and | | | | your pet from you then there are better ways also. |
| cannot cope up with the harsh situations of the | | | | You should look for a shelter for your dog. There are |
| forest and cannot compete with the other animals. | | | | a number of ways to do this if one wants. One of |
| Moreover animals have the habit to make and live in | | | | the methods is to look for another house for your |
| their territory, so they don't allow the newly | | | | pet among your neighbor or relatives. Other way is |
| abandoned dog to share their place leading to fight | | | | to send the pet to some shelter house where they |
| which might result into severe injuries and sometimes | | | | can be kept. There are shelter houses for dogs |
| the dog may even die. Other times the dogs may | | | | which are helping for the dog adoption to the people |
| run and come to some unknown surroundings or may | | | | who want to get a pet. So next time you are looking |
| get hit by some vehicle and met with some | | | | to bring a pet to your home, please go to a nearby |
| automobile accident. They may also eat something | | | | shelter house and adopt a dog instead of buying the |
| poisonous when hungry as their natural instincts are | | | | new one so that these speechless creatures can get |
| not so developed because of living in human vicinity | | | | a home to live and bond with. |
| and may even die. Some of the dogs survive and | | | | It has several advantages that now you don't have |
| add to the so called stray dog population. The | | | | to spend the money to buy a new pet. The other |
| population of stray dogs in India is increasing | | | | thing is that now you can get a well trained dog. |
| alarmingly due to uncontrolled reproduction among | | | | Above all you will get a mental satisfaction for giving |
| stray dog population adding to which is increasing | | | | home to a pet which no money can buy. |
| trend of dog abandonment. So animal birth control | | | | Societies/Organizations- A Helping Hand |
| (ABC) programme has been instituted where females | | | | There are many societies and |
| are spayed and males are castrated to curb over | | | | NGOs operating in India and abroad which can help |
| population of stray dogs. Dog owners should at least | | | | you Organizations like the BlueCross society are |
| look for a new home or shelter for their pets so that | | | | working throughout India to help give shelter to the |
| they can at least live safely. | | | | animals and help in dog adoption. Pablo's Dog |
| Reasons behind it | | | | Adoption Foundation India is a group that brings |
| People give a variety of reasons | | | | together all animals, mongrel lovers, adopters |
| to abandon their dogs some of them are like | | | | worldwide . There are no kill societies which will keep |
| - The most common of them at least in India is being | | | | the dog but not kill them unlike the other shelter |
| the economic reasons as people say they have poor | | | | houses which were working earlier where dogs were |
| living standards and cannot feed the dogs. | | | | euthanized after a particular period of time. |
| - A member of the family may die and others don't | | | | Problems Associated With Adoption |
| want to keep the dog. | | | | Lack of awareness is the main |
| - Owners may shift from one place to the other and | | | | reason. Many people don't know if there is any such |
| may not take pets with them because of long | | | | procedure where you can send your pet to shelter |
| distance, lack of means of transport of the pet or | | | | house and look for another home by dog adoption. |
| they simply don't want to. | | | | Lack of responsibility is the other |
| - A dog may get some health problem and unable to | | | | main problem associated. Unless you feel your |
| meet expenses associated, the owner think to | | | | responsibility for these lovely creatures, you cannot |
| abandon their dog or may even think to kill/ | | | | do anything but to abandon them. One should at |
| euthanize the dog. | | | | least think once before doing this cruelty! |
| - Some owners complain of allergies with dog hair, | | | | Many people have this query if the adopted dog will |
| problem with excessive barking and even some | | | | go well in their house. Dogs are very intelligent and |
| owners complain of hyperactivity which causes | | | | are very fast learners. If taught with love, they will |
| problem in living societies. | | | | follow you sincerely. Moreover, the shelter houses |
| - Sometimes dog breeders abandon such puppies | | | | should observe a pet/dog/animal for at least a week |
| which do not meet the breed standards thereby | | | | and tell the prospective owner about behavior of the |
| increasing breeders expense in rearing those pups | | | | particular animal. |
| which have no or very less sale value. | | | | Benefits behind Sheltering and adoption |
| - A pet purchased on the spur of the moment or as | | | | - First of all and most importantly it will control the |
| a gift for another person. Often the owner discovers | | | | population of stray dogs. |
| that caring for the pet is much more work than | | | | - Secondly the cruelty against the dogs and a |
| expected, or requires more space or exercise than | | | | possible risk to a life can be averted. |
| they are prepared to give. | | | | - You can save a life and get a chance to give home |
| - Pet leaves home or cannot find its way back, and | | | | to a homeless dog, also called the Man's best friend. |
| carries no identification tags or microchip. The owner | | | | - You can get the dog for free and don't have to |
| does not succeed in finding it (or makes no attempt | | | | purchase it. |
| to do so). | | | | - You can get well trained and grown up dogs and |
| - People leave the country; quarantine laws in some | | | | can escape with the initial training required when a |
| countries can be traumatic to pets and owners, so to | | | | small pup is first of all brought to the home. |
| avoid the stress, the pet is surrendered to an animal | | | | Raise a Voice |
| shelter. | | | | It is high time to stop this |
| Consequences of dog abandonment | | | | malpractice of dog abandonment among people of |
| The dogs are very emotionally | | | | India as it is inhumane, cruel and leads to increase in |
| attached to their owners and the family they are | | | | stray dog population. The better measures like dog |
| living in; to abandon them means to separate them | | | | sheltering, dog adoption, ABC progamme should be |
| of their family. Just think how a child will feel if left | | | | instituted all over India. Apart from that, some |
| alone in unknown surroundings without food water | | | | awareness campaigns are required so that more |
| and shelter! | | | | people know about this and stop this. Be a part of it |
| The very first thing about dog abandonment is that it | | | | and try to save a life! |
| is unethical and against the law. It leads to increase in | | | | |