Not just for lockdown: heavy toll on ‘pets’ expected as covid restrictions ease
The end of lockdown may be in sight, but for many companion animals brought into homes over the last year seemingly on a whim by people hoping to alleviate their boredom or get free eggs, the picture isn’t so optimistic. From dangerously maladjusted dogs to chickens dumped in fields, remember that companion animals are for life, not just for lockdown.
Last week, Freddy the Thames seal pup had to be euthanised by vets after he was attacked by a dog let off the leash, leaving him with severe injuries. The tragic story of the much-loved seal, who had captured the public’s attention due to his entertaining antics, prompted the RSPCA to issue a stark warning that this could just be the start of many such incidents as we emerge from lockdown.
“The pandemic and its various lockdown measures, has impacted on a lot of dog owners and especially those who bought puppies throughout the last year,” said RSPCA dog welfare expert Dr Samantha Gaines, speaking to the Guardian. “In a worst case scenario this can lead to dogs not receiving the proper training needed resulting in preventable incidents involving other animals.
Freddie was attacked by a dog on the Thames towpath. Credit: The Guardian/Chris Jackson/Getty
“Sadly, we also know that as animals are so readily and easily available to buy online, it can be very easy for people to buy a new pet on a whim and that can mean that, within a few months, they quickly realise that they cannot cope with them.”
According to the RSPCA, 24 per cent of people report that their dogs in their care chase other animals, issuing the strong recommendation that dogs be kept on a lead when around livestock and wildlife.
“In some cases, there will be dogs that have had limited, if any, experience and training around other types of animals,” Gaines added. “As we approach spring, dogs may increasingly encounter other animals and many will show an interest and, in some cases, their presence is enough to cause fear.”
Around 3.2 million households in the UK have acquired a companion animal since the start of the covid-19 pandemic, a survey by the Pet Food Manufacturers' Association (PFMA) conducted this month has revealed, with under-35s accounting for 59 per cent of new pet owners and 56 per cent having children at home. So great has been the surge in new pet numbers that Mars and Nestlé - the two biggest manufacturers of pet food - have experienced shortages of certain products.
However, according to the BBC, “more than a third of new owners said it was like having a baby, while about a fifth of families with children said training their new pet was proving challenging. As a result, five per cent of those who had bought a pet during the pandemic had already given it up”.
As well as unsocialised and untrained dogs, cats and other typical companion animals could face a crisis of loneliness once their carers return to work post-lockdown, with the animals no longer able to receive as much attention as they’ve grown accustomed to over the past 12 months.
Speaking to the BBC this time, Gaines said: "Many of our pets are now used to having us around all the time, while others have never known any different. We have real concerns that life post-lockdown, both in terms of a new routine and spending time alone, could be really difficult for them to adjust to, which is why it's so important that owners start to prepare them now."
The PFMA also found that there are now 34 million companion animals in the UK, including 12 million cats; 12 million dogs; 3.2 million small mammals, such as guinea pigs and hamsters; 1.5 million reptiles, and three million birds - not least of all chickens, apparently the nation’s new favourite pet according to the Telegraph.
Indeed lockdown has also seen a huge increase in the number of chickens being kept as companion animals, with many people seeing them as both a welcome distraction from the boredom of having to stay in and a ready source of free eggs. It is thought that many chicks were taken in at the start of lockdown when there was uncertainty about whether or not supermarkets would stay stocked. Sadly, many of those chicks were unsexed, growing into noisy and relatively troublesome cockerels that are not well suited to living in people’s gardens in urban areas - their early-morning crowing, if reported to the local authorities by neighbours, can result in fines of up to £5,000.
In December last year, the RSPCA reported that it had dealt with 1,594 incidents relating to chickens across England and Wales. Alison Thorpe, who runs Lucky Hens Rescue in Amberswood, told Wigan Today that they were preparing for chickens to be abandoned following a surge in ‘ownership’ last year, with people realising that chickens are not that easy to look after without the right facilities and experience.
“We have taken in a lot of boys who were hatched during lockdown. We have 16 now. We can only take in so many, because of the noise as well as the fighting that they can do. They are alright if the hens aren’t about, which they aren’t here. It’s a 60/40 chance that boys will be hatched and people don’t realise this,” said Thorpe.
The desire to take in companion animals during lockdown has also led to an increase in all the worst things we know about the pet trade as breeders and importers seek to take advantage of the trend. The RSPCA saw fit to issue specific guidance for people thinking about taking on ‘lockdown puppies’ during covid quarantine, warning people against supporting this “potentially exploitative and damaging trade” - for a closer look at the evils of the pet trade, see our video on Is it vegan to buy pets or read Pet trade death trade: Europe’s forgotten victims of trafficking.
While it may be too late to prevent the first wave of impulsive pet buying, we can all help by supporting local rescues and warning friends and family still thinking of getting animals. If you know someone who is considering getting a puppy or a kitten, ask them whether or not they fully understand how great a responsibility it is and to adopt, never shop. In regards to chickens, it is vital to remember that they are not egg-producing machines, but are in fact sentient, complex individuals with equally complex needs, and their care should not be taken lightly.
Andrew Gough is Media and Investigations Manager for Surge.
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