Pets News

Each year there are awful stories of dogs attacking pets and people, sometimes with fatal consequences.

Tackling this begins with owners and breeders taking full responsibility for their dogs' behaviour and adequately socialising and training them from a young age.

It is also essential that young people understand how to be safe around all pets and learn how to become caring and responsible owners in the future.

In PDSA's view, this should include learning about a pet's five welfare needs at school as well as from other responsible adults around them.

• UK
• Dogs
• Pets

A majority of dogs, at 61%, had not attended training classes within their first six months of life, according to the findings.

The research forms part of the second PDSA animal well-being report which claims obesity, aggression and illness are set to take over the pet population if they are not tackled.

An estimated 18.5 million dogs, cats and rabbits are being fed unsuitable diets and treats in spite of their owners knowing about the health risks, the report said.

The charity warned that an estimated 11.2 million pets are not vaccinated or neutered leaving them at "serious" risk of developing potentially fatal illnesses.

• UK
• Dogs
• Pets

• 1.3 million dogs across the UK are displaying "problem behaviour" the PDSA have said.
• Nearly one in three, or 30%, of dog owners reporting being bitten or attacked by a dog.

• More than half of dog owners, or 51%, said they knew someone who had been bitten or attacked by a dog.

• UK
• Dogs
• Pets

Owners who fail to socialise and obedience-train dogs at an early stage are fuelling "frightening" levels of problem behaviour in their pets, according to the report.

Children should be taught at school how to be good owners in the face of research showing "fundamental" gaps in knowledge about animal welfare, the PDSA said.

• UK
• Dogs
• Pets

Nearly two thirds of children have admitted being scared of family pets, according to a new report by veterinary charity PDSA.

The charity also found that more than one million dogs in the UK are displaying “problem behaviour”.

• UK
• Dangerous dogs
• PDSA

• The RSPCA say it is currently responding to over 25,000 calls a week from the public and has seen a 23.5% rise in cruelty convictions in the last five years.

• The first nine months of this year alone have seen 1,176 cruelty convictions involving work by the RSPCA, a 6% rise on the same period in 2011, which saw 1,108 convictions.

• As the number of animals in need grows, welfare expenditure by the RSPCA, which relies entirely on public donations, is already exceeding forecasts set for 2012.
• The charity said it predicted a further 6,000 dogs and cats will be abandoned between now and the end of the year at a cost of nearly £5m.

• UK
• RSPCA
• Animal rescue

The RSPA say it is finding it harder to rehome abandoned pets, with 12,711 dogs rehomed in 2011, compared with 16,659 in 2009.

They rehomed 29,880 cats in 2011, less than the 36,070 two years before.

Both species are taking longer to rehabilitate and rehome than a year ago meaning their average cost of stay is also rising, the RSPCA said.

The average stay for a dog in the year so far is 59 days, five more than last year and their average cost of stay has risen from £810 to £885.

Cats have also averaged stays of 59 days this year, four more days than in 2011 and the average cost of their stay as risen to £554.60 from £517.

• UK
• RSPCA
• Animal rescue

The recession may be over but these are very dark times for its silent victims - the animals. They have never needed our help so desperately.

This is a real crisis and despite the immense dedication of our staff and volunteers, we are struggling to cope.

We really need our country's animal lovers to step forward and open their hearts, homes and purses in these extremely difficult times.

• UK
• RSPCA
• Animal rescue