Cruel Pet Owners Are Abandoning Their Pets At The Pound Ahead Of Christmas Vacation

Dec 12, 2019 by apost team

The holidays can be a stressful time to be a pet owner, as those of us who love our furry friends are unsure where to safely leave them while we travel across the country to be with family and loved ones.

Sadly, Australia has seen a rise in pet owners who are choosing to abandon their animals during the holiday season, simply to avoid paying for pet care!

The vice president of the Australian Animal Protection Society, Sue Thompson, came forward to explain that people are choosing to just release their animals into the wild, in the hope that they will be picked up by authorities and taken to a shelter.

Rather than taking the animals to the shelter themselves, this dirty trick gives them the opportunity to return after Christmas and re-adopt their own dogs and cats. Some pet owners are even going so far as to deliver their pets to the shelter and leave them on the doorstep for someone to find.

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Ms. Thompson is not thrilled with the plan and is scornful of pet owners who abandon their animals during the holiday months. She explained to The Age that re-adoption is not going to be a possibility and that pet owners simply need to take responsibility for their animals’ care during the holidays.

She also called out pet owners who choose to leave their pets at home alone with what they consider adequate food and water. Ms. Thompson points out that even this can end badly for the animals.

Right now, The Lost Dogs shelter in North Melbourne is already overwhelmed with cats and kittens, and they are dreading more pets being abandoned by irresponsible owners during the holidays.

To fight the trend, shelters will now start charging boarding fees for owners who simply leave them and then try to re-adopt them. The Age reports that the cost is $30 for the first day and $15 for each following day until they are reclaimed. Owners will also be required to microchip their pets before they can take them home.

What do you think of this sneaky way of avoiding pet care fines? Let us hear your thoughts in the comments section below!