Dog Pounds - the reality for many unfortunate dogs

It's a postcode lottery as to whether dogs will be treated humanely and given a chance. Many will die unwanted and unloved.The last few days of their life will have been spent terrified, alone and confused in filthy, squalid conditions. In many pounds, they don't even bother to feed them the day before they die. Why waste food. Many will die at the hands of unqualified staff. Remember that if the lethal injection goes into the tissue instead of a vein, the dog will die a slow agonising death!! Nice to know how your council tax is spent.

Last year 8,000 healthy and loving dogs were killed purely because they were unlucky. You ask, surely luck can’t determine the right to live or die? Sadly,  in council run pounds luck is all a dog can hope for. From the second they’re dumped in the pound the clock starts ticking and as soon as the clock hits seven days, their luck expires. They are removed from their kennel - happy to see someone, wagging their tail – they have no idea that they are about to be killed. Still jumping around pleased for the attention they are given a lethal injection. Their tail stops wagging and there’s no more excited jumping around, they’re dead.

You may read this and feel a lump in your throat, but please read it again. This time picture your lovely dog’s face when it greets you first thing in the morning – wagging their tails and jumping around like mad as though you waking up is the best thing to happen to them. It could very easily have been your dog in the pound, perhaps your dog ran off in the park and got lost, perhaps it ran further than you anticipated, it ended up in a council pound a good distance from your home, the clock is now ticking. Seven days is all you have to find your dog, but you have no idea it had travelled so far – again, picture your dog getting all excited when you wake in the morning, but it’s not the morning at home, it’s the morning of day seven in the pound and your dog has no idea it’s being lead to its death. For one last final time, picture it’s happy face and wagging tail, the injection takes effect, your dog is dead.

You might not believe this could happen to your dog and perhaps you are right because you are a good, caring and responsible owner, but what about the 22 dogs that were killed EVERY single day during 2006 – who cared for them?

Their lovely little faces are no different to your own dog, why does your dog get to live and 8000 get to die in one year?

Think about it – can you imagine killing 22 dogs in ONE day, almost one every hour of the day? Whilst you may not like to admit it, you are party to the killing by doing nothing.

Please help German Shepherd Rescue and all the other UK rescues put an end to the pointless killing of healthy animals. Join us in campaigning for a change in the law to ensure dogs are given the rights they deserve so that every dog can live a happy life like your dog does. To see what we’re up against, why not take a trip to your local council run pound – perhaps then you’ll feel inspired to write a letter to your local press or MP or if you want to do more, please don’t hesitate to contact us

[1] Dogs Trust collates information each year about the number of healthy dogs that have been put to sleep during the previous year.

[2] German Shepherd Rescue UK recognises that not all council run pounds destroy dogs within 7 days, a minority work with rescues to rehome animals.

If you would like to make a donation to help the rescue, please click on the link below.