Saturday 8 August 2015

Educating Dog Owners


At The Dog Welfare Network, we aim to help fund and support various international programmes that will ease the suffering and plight of unwanted, abandoned dogs.

We’ve previously touched on the importance of supporting neutering programmes, but another area that we’d like to highlight is the need for better education of dog owners.

Of course, there are many responsible owners out there, but there are some individuals who in spite of loving their dogs, do not always appreciate or understand the full extent of the responsibility of caring for animals.
 
Educating communities about good practice in their handling and management of their own dogs will make a real difference to the quality of life enjoyed by those dogs and the community at large.

In some cases a dog owner allows their dog to sire or breed numerous litters, which are then abandoned in either their own or a nearby community. This is unfair on the animals and can also cause problems for the local people.

The unpleasant sight of starving, desperate packs of dogs roaming the streets can appear intimidating and have a negative impact on the much needed tourist trade in some areas. Dogs left to roam without veterinary care can also affect the health of other local animals and, in extreme circumstances, may result in human injuries or ill-health. This is all in addition to the suffering that the dogs themselves endure.

Simple education programmes delivered through various art media such as radio, theatre and street performances, can be used to explain the basic needs of dogs, their behaviour and good care practice. Supporting and informing pet owners of the wider implications of not caring for their dogs responsibly could potentially greatly reduce the amount of stray animals on the streets.