“Unprecedented Levels” of Dog Abandonment And Suffering In Gibraltar - AINF
The Animals In Need Foundation (AINF) has warned that it’s seeing “unprecedented levels” of dog abandonment and suffering in Gibraltar.
In the last months AINF has been asked to either re-home or rehabilitate over 50 dogs in Gibraltar, noting that an increasingly common habit among owners is to leave dogs in flats where people are no longer living. The charity says it is liaising with the authorities and the Animal Welfare Officer on this particular problem.
AINF says it has also identified that a number of dogs they receive were originally adopted during the COVID pandemic. However, as things return to the “new normal”, reduced time and finances affect the owner’s ability to look after a dog.
AINF says it is currently buying and providing dog food for families who are struggling to keep their pets but do not want them re-homed yet. AINF is also helping to walk dogs in situations where the owners are no longer able to do so as their health has deteriorated - these dogs will be re-homed when the owners are ready to let them go.
AINF says it is also prioritising rehabilitating and rehoming the dogs that the Animal Welfare Officer asks them to help re-home. This includes dogs that have been removed from families by the authorities - the charity says the state of these dogs is “often heartbreaking” - and AINF assists by organising and paying for the veterinary care, the rehabilitation and the compliance of any formalities to make the dog legal. AINF then works to re-home the dog once this is appropriate.
The charity adds that there’s an increasing number of victims of domestic violence and individuals with mental health conditions reaching out and asking them to help them re-home their dogs. AINF says it is also giving them priority and provides them with updates to alleviate their suffering when letting go of their dogs. AINF is also liaising with the authorities and other local charities to help provide support to these sufferers.
AINF reminds the public that it solely relies on charitable donations to undertake this work.
A spokesperson said: “The burden in meeting monthly financial commitments and working to re-home these dogs is significant for such a small group of volunteers. Furthermore while helping animals is at the very essence of our work, this very much extends to helping the more vulnerable members of our society.”
The charity currently has 61 dogs under its care with 18 dogs needing rehabilitation.
The charity is holding two Christmas fundraising events:
Friday 3rd Dec Flag Day 8.30 - 7
ICC, Piazza, Morrisons
Wednesday 8th Dec Quiz
IPA Club 7.30 til late
You can donate to AINF or find out more about the charity, including dogs available for fostering or adoption, forthcoming events, and volunteering opportunities via email, their website or their social media accounts:
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Facebook: Animals in Need Foundation
Instagram: @ainfgibraltar
Bank details for donations are posted below:
