The variety of unclaimed stray canine has risen by 82% at Newry’s USPCA shelter
The variety of deserted and undesirable dogs in NI has “skyrocketed” since December, an animal charity has stated.
Some shelters have seen an increase in puppy litters being handed in after the pups have been unsold at Christmas.
In County Tyrone, a field of 4 puppies have been discovered deserted by a member of the general public earlier this week.
“It’s worse this yr than we have seen any earlier yr,” the USPCA’s Siobhan McHaffie instructed BBC News NI.
Ms McHaffie, the charity’s operations and growth director, stated this was only the start of what was anticipated to be a busy month for the USPCA.
“At final depend, there was round 40 pups in complete that individuals have been making an attempt to get into us since Christmas Day alone,” she stated.
On high of that, Ms McHaffie stated the variety of unclaimed strays being handed into the charity is 82% increased than final yr.
‘Backyard breeders’
Its centre in Newry has additionally taken quite a few calls from individuals with deserted or undesirable litters of pups prior to now month.
She stated: “At the minute it appears to be litters of pups, in order that’s main us to the conclusion that they are undesirable puppy farm pups, or yard breeders who thought that they might promote them for Christmas and have not been ready to take action.”
Siobhan McHaffie of the USPCA says the charity expects January to get so much busier with undesirable pups
She urged those that have taken in an animal over Christmas to contact their vet or a certified behaviour specialist to resolve any points.
“We do not wish to see any extra dumped or undesirable pups after Christmas,” she added.
“But normally that is simply the beginning of it and now we have little doubt that January will get much more busy with the undesirable pups.”
Abandoned puppies
Meanwhile in County Tyrone, 4 husky-collie blended puppies have been discovered deserted in a plastic container on the facet of a highway earlier this week.
Helping them settle in to their new home, Nicole Cunningham from Mid Ulster Rehoming Centre for Dogs, stated when the dogs arrived they have been “not in nice situation”.
“They’ve clearly had their tub and all the things now,” she stated, including that, they’ve additionally had flea and worm therapies.
Nicole stated she thinks the dogs are a husky-collie combine and are between eight and 10 weeks old.
Four young puppies have been present in a plastic container on the facet of a highway earlier this week
Her mum Colleen, who owns the centre, stated the litter was the fourth one to come back by way of their doorways in three weeks.
“These puppies are simply coming from all over the place,” she added.
“Puppies left on the facet of the highway in a field, freezing chilly, moist; they’ve pneumonia, they’re stuffed with worms, there’s fleas – it is horrible.”
Colleen Cunningham runs a rehoming centre for dogs in Stewartstown, County Tyrone
In the previous month, Colleen stated, about 40 dogs, together with 14 puppies, have been dropped at the centre in Stewartstown.
Many are left scared as a result of they have not been dealt with appropriately, she added.
“For the primary week that you just’re working with these wee puppies, they do all the things they should in that wee mattress as a result of they do not realise they’ll come out as a result of they have been in such a small, cramped house.
Ms McHaffie instructed BBC NI’s Evening Extra programme stronger laws is required to take care of “deliberate acts of cruelty and neglect” of animals in Northern Ireland.
More regulation can be wanted across the breeding of animals on the market, she added, saying the area is “nicely behind the remainder of the UK”.
