Time to Take Care of The Lost Dogs

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Time to Take Care of The Lost Dogs
By April 6, 2007 No Comments

At the start of National Pet Month1, Advocates for Animals is asking members of the public to consider giving homes to the ‘lost dogs’ – the thousands of unwanted animals in Scotland that face being destroyed because homes cannot be found for them.

A particularly sad phenomenon this year is the arrival in shelters around the country of hundreds of Staffordshire Bull Terriers (Staffies). These dogs appear to have been dumped by owners following the tragic death of Ellie Lawrenson on New Year’s Day. Five-year-old Ellie was mauled to death by a Pit Bull Terrier ‘type’ – a dog similar in appearance to a Staffie but currently banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.

The Scottish Staffordshire Bull Terrier Rescue (Staffie Rescue) now needs to find homes for over 70 rejected dogs in its care2. The Duchess of Hamilton, who runs the charity in Scotland, says: “One of the consequences of this terrible incident is that Staffie Rescue is now overflowing with unwanted dogs. In all my years of rescuing dogs the situation has not been worse. Something must be done to stop people treating dogs as disposable items that they can discard on a whim.

The situation here is urgent. I would urge anyone considering getting a dog to contact us and see what Staffies have to offer.”

People mistakenly associate Staffies with aggression, but any dog can bite and Staffies and Pit Bulls are not the same. A Staffie may look ‘butch’ but is a highly intelligent dog that makes a loving pet in the right home.  It is a dog which has a great love for children and is sometimes known as the ‘nanny dog’.

Advocates for Animals’ Political Director, Libby Anderson, adds: “This situation highlights the need for a comprehensive review of legislation concerning dogs. This should include the introduction of a dog registration scheme based on permanent identification by microchipping so that owners cannot simply dump their dogs without being traced. Advocates for Animals very much hopes that people will respond to the call for help from Staffie Rescue and offer no homes to these ‘lost dogs’.”