Every year during the holidays, the same tragic scenario repeats itself: all over Austria, the number of animals fed up with their owners is increasing. Animal shelters face enormous challenges: “If we say that we have no more space, we are insulted. There are threats to abandon the animal or have it shot!”
At a swimming pond in Vienna, a white cat was left to its fate in a taped-up transport box. In a forest, hikers discovered a completely dehydrated dog tied to a tree. In front of the garbage area of a supermarket, a cage with a mother rabbit and her offspring stood in the sun
37 degrees outside temperature. You would think that the individual fate is sad, but unfortunately the opposite is the case!
The first days of vacation in Vienna
“In the first week of the holidays, we noticed a drastic increase in activity at the City of Vienna Animal Rescue Service, by an average of 70 percent! Time and again, we come across animals that have been heartlessly thrown away as trash. Before you acquire a living creature, you should think carefully about yourself and seriously consider whether you can handle this responsibility,” says Thomas Benda, Operations Manager at TierQuarTier Vienna.
Abandoned pets or pets that have had enough of their owners are a nationwide animal welfare problem, especially during the holidays. For years, there has been a surge in the surrender or abandonment of animals in connection with the long school holidays. Animal shelters are extremely overcrowded and completely overloaded during this time.
It is mostly dogs, cats and small animals that people often unobtrusively dispose of. Some of these “holiday victims” are animals that were cute and cuddly as Christmas presents, but are now considered nothing more than a burden.
Animal shelter at capacity limit
At the animal shelter Pfotenhilfe Lochen (Upper Austria), the phones have also been ringing for weeks because owners want to get rid of their big-legged housemates. “It’s desperate, because if we cancel because we simply don’t have any more space, especially now, we will be cursed at, insulted or even threatened to abandon the animal or have it shot,” Jürgen Stadler told the “Krone”.
There are many reasons why people want to get rid of their animals in the summer months: four-legged friends are not allowed in their holiday home, the prices of animal boarding seem unaffordable and no one can take care of them in the living room. area. Or classics that apply all year round: there is a lack of time, resources and willingness to take care of an animal.
Regardless of why a pet is abandoned by its owner, it is always the one who suffers the most in this situation. Being left alone in an unfamiliar location by someone you trust can leave an animal confused and distraught. Even if the child physically survives the extremely stressful situation, emotional and physical scars remain.
The period at the animal shelter lasts thirty days until a homeless animal is released for adoption – 30 days of waiting, scared and disturbed in an unfamiliar environment, in most cases in vain! Only then does the search for a new home begin. And that can take longer.
Correct behavior with a found animal
Only attempt to catch a free-roaming animal if you do not endanger yourself or your four-legged friend. Please do not take animals that appear to have been abandoned, but inform the responsible authorities (local animal protection, animal shelter, police). Wait for the experts to arrive. You can offer the animal some water. Talk to it in a calm, friendly tone and keep your distance. This way the animal will notice that you are not a danger.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
