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India has 80 million homeless dogs, cats; higher abandonment rates, global survey informs

About 34 per cent respondents said they have abandoned a dog on the streets, and 32 per cent have abandoned a cat, the survey noted

street dogs, indian expressGNIDA will sterilize all street dogs in its jurisdiction. (Source: Unsplash/ File Photo)

In what may come as a shock to animal lovers and animal welfare activists, a new global survey has said that 80 million cats and dogs are estimated to be homeless in India.

The first-ever survey of Pet Homelessness in nine countries by Mars Petcare India with an advisory board of leading animal welfare experts has given India an index ranking of 2.4, while Germany tops the list with a score of 8.6, followed by the UK at 7.0, and the US at 6.4 on a 10-point scale.

As per the index from more than “200 global and local sources, boosted by quantitative research on widespread attitudes”, while there are estimated to be 9.1 million street or stray cats in India, estimated street or stray dogs are 62 million.

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The Index model presents a country-specific context and challenges which “helps identify key factors both positively and negatively impacting the issue”. It also “reveals the most impactful underlying issues that have influenced the score in each country”.

According to the survey, 68 per cent of the population say they see a stray/street cat at least once a week (global average of 43 per cent), and 77 per cent state they see a stray/street dog at least once a week (global average of 41 per cent).

It added that despite the increase in pet ownership amid Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns that made many lonely which made them feel encouraged to adopt, realistic considerations including housing limitations, financial limitations, practical barriers and lack of behavioural awareness about stray pets led people to buy breed dogs and cats instead of adopting them from animal shelters.

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The survey, which intended to identify the reasons for pet homelessness, segregated the data across three areas — ‘All Pets Wanted’, which is evaluated by studying stray populations and responsible breeding; ‘All Pets Cared For’, to observe pet adoption rates; and ‘All Pets Welcome’, studied by parameters like access to care, and pet ownership barriers and policies.

In addition, relinquishment levels were assessed to be higher in India than on a global level with half (50 per cent) of current and previous owners stating they have relinquished a pet in the past, compared to 28 per cent on a global level. About 34 per cent said they have abandoned a dog on the streets, and 32 per cent have abandoned a cat, the survey stated.

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Notably, India scored below countries like Mexico (3.9), South Africa (4.0), China (4.8), Russia (5.2), and Greece (5.4).

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First uploaded on: 06-12-2021 at 21:40 IST
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