When Love Breaks Down

Reasons for Pet Relinquishment in Portugal

Sandra Duarte Cardoso

Think about these numbersMore than 10 million dogs and cats are abandoned in Portugal…

… per year!

This is equivalent to the entire Portuguese population.

The abandoned pets are recollected by official municipality shelters and

the only solution is euthanasia!

Its an important problem of public health and animal well being.

The majority of stray animals have already had an owner and

a home.

A huge problem!

A huge problem!

The abandoned pets are recollected by official municipality shelters and the only solution is

euthanasia!

Its an important problem of public health and animal well being.

The majority of stray animals have already had an owner and a home.

Why do people abandon their pets?

Who are the people who abandon their pets?

Several studies in some countries

Salema (Portugal)

Divorce Hunters Expensive diseasesHolydays

Scarlett et al (dogs)

Personal problems AllergiesLack of time

Why do people abandon?

Development of a comprehensive study for Portugal

Questionnaire

Available between July 2012 and January 2013 (7 months)

In the regional official municipality shelter and in two animal protection associations’ shelters in Sintra and Cascais

67 valid questionnaires received

Included the characterization of the participant (age, income level, composition of the household, among others), as well as the relinquished animal (specie, gender, reproductive status, breed, among others) and the main reasons to

relinquish

WHO relinquishes an animal?

Women25-40 years old

non-owner

The majority of animals were relinquished by non-owners21 (in 34 owners who have relinquished their animal) said, in the

same day, that they were willing to have other animal in the future

Most lower incomeOwners who relinquishes want to

have a pet in the future

Relinquished animals

More dogs than cats were relinquished

54 in 67 relinquished animals were intact

What are the reasons to relinquish?

Emigration

Financial problems

Excess animals

Animal diseasesAllergies

Solutions?Further studies are required to

assess this social problem

Common European legislation for companion animal’s welfare and

protection

Share of experiences on several fields: lawyers, politicians,

veterinarian specialists in behavior and welfare and Non-

Governmental Organizations working together to achieve the

desired goal