Costly pet care ‘orphans’ many canines

Enamoured by the idea of having a pet, many people rush in to adopt dogs or buy exotic breeds, to be a part of their family. That is – until they realise that the dog brings with it a set of responsibilities. As a result, an increasing number of pet dogs is being abandoned, especially left tied outside shelters or in pet clinics.

On Thursday, an ageing Spitz, lost and forlorn, was left to fend for itself at the Madras Veterinary College. Dr R Jayaprakash R, Director of Clinics, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS), said that this has become a common phenomenon. “When the owners realise that their pet is suffering from chronic infection or age-related ailments like arthritis, which requires prolonged treatment and frequent hospital visits, they abandon the animal in the clinic. Every week, we have two or three dogs left behind on our campus. This is happening not only in our clinics but also in private hospitals too. There is no way to track the owner, as the pets are tied to the trees and abandoned. If we find the dogs tied, we send them to animal shelters,” he said.

Animal rights activist Shravan Krishnan, who also runs a shelter, said that every week, close to 10 dogs are left at their doorstep. “Right from puppies to old dogs, these animals are abandoned near our shelter. Sometimes, people come on bikes and fling the animal inside our compound. People buy exotic breeds but cannot maintain them or if the dog develops a skin disease or even becomes old, they are abandoned,” said the rescuer, adding that this is becoming a huge problem for shelters across the city, which are filled beyond capacity. The Greater Chennai Corporation runs two shelters – on Lloyd’s Road and Kannamapettai. However, a Corporation official said that the civic body has no plans to take in abandoned pet dogs.