Adopt a dog: how rescue dogs can become your new pet

More than one in three dogs abandoned last year is still looking for a new home. Would you consider taking one in?

If you’re looking for a pet, you might have considered adopting a dog from a rescue centre. As a result of the financial crisis, there is no shortage of dogs that have been abandoned and are in need of a home.

New research from Churchill Pet Insurance shows that over 35% of dogs that were abandoned in 2011 are still waiting from someone to take them in.

The survey of 300 rescue centres also showed that:

• many dog owners are under financial pressure and have to give up their pets
• relationship break-ups are leading to more dogs being abandoned
• the sheer volume of dogs in shelters is taking its toll on Britain’s over-burdened animal welfare sector.

On a positive note, an increasing number of people in the UK are becoming more comfortable with the idea of taking in rescue dogs.

• Over 90% of dog lovers know about the problems dogs in rescue centres face and are aware of how many dogs are currently waiting for new homes
• More than half (56%) of dog owners surveyed wouldn’t consider a dog who’s been in a rescue centre for six months or more a problem dog
• In the past, many such dogs would have remained in shelters because people had concerns about whether they would fit in to their home.