Rising concern over number of abandoned dogs

MORE abandoned dogs in poor condition are being picked up by Swansea Council and rehoming them is becoming harder, a meeting heard.

- RICHARD YOULE Senior local democracy reporter

Rising vets' bills could be a factor behind the increase, according to a senior officer.

Councillors heard that 250-280 stray and abandoned dogs were typically picked up per year in Swansea before the number dropped sharply during the Covid pandemic with 104 recorded in 2020-21.

Tom Price, pollution control and public health team leader, told the council's audit and governance committee numbers were climbing back up to where they had been and that cost of living pressures and higher vets' bills coincided with this.

"We are seeing more animals that require care which are being abandoned and we can't track the owner," he said.

Mr Price said some stray and abandoned dogs weren't chipped. Others were, he said, but the chip might identify the breeder not the current owner.