Home   News   Article

Dogs Trust warns of a looming housing crisis for dogs due to cost of living crisis and charity is urgently seeking fosterers – 38 per cent of dog owners in Scotland think it is now more difficult to give their dog all they need


By David G Scott

Easier access to your trusted, local news. Subscribe to a digital package and support local news publishing.



Click here to sign up to our free newsletters!

Following last week’s half point rise in interest rates, the UK’s leading dog welfare charity has warned that the sky high cost of essentials, such as eating and heating, is leaving many dog owners unable to provide for their dogs.

With adoption numbers dropping because people can’t afford to take on a new dog, this has the potential to lead to a housing crisis for the nation’s dogs, says Dogs Trust which has rehoming centres in Glasgow and West Calder.

The number of owners contacting Dogs Trust to inquire about giving up their dog is skyrocketing. Picture: DGS
The number of owners contacting Dogs Trust to inquire about giving up their dog is skyrocketing. Picture: DGS

Over recent months, the charity has received a record number of calls from people asking it to take in their dogs, in the face of the new cost of everyday living. Inquiries to give up a dog have increased to the highest level since its records began, with 4370 inquiries received in July 2022.

There’s been a notable increase in the number of people calling in for financial reasons, citing problems such as huge increases in their regular monthly bills, such as energy and mortgage payments, as the reason why they can no longer afford doggy basics such as food, which has also itself increased in price.

In addition, Dogs Trust’s monthly poll of the UK’s dog owners, run by YouGov, shows that 38 per cent of respondents in Scotland thought they would find it more difficult to give their dog all they needed, compared to before the cost of living crisis began.

Vet bills continued to cause the most worry – 51 per cent of dog owners in Scotland said vet bills were currently their biggest financial canine concern for the coming year.
Vet bills continued to cause the most worry – 51 per cent of dog owners in Scotland said vet bills were currently their biggest financial canine concern for the coming year.

Vet bills continued to cause the most worry – 51 per cent of dog owners in Scotland said vet bills were currently their biggest financial canine concern for the coming year. 17 per cent were most worried about the cost of dog food, while 12 per cent named insurance as their lead worry.

The number of owners contacting Dogs Trust to inquire about giving up their dog is skyrocketing – the charity has seen the number of inquiries from owners needing to give up their dogs rising to its highest level since its contact centre opened in 2014, with 4370 handover enquiries received in July alone; a trend which is increasing month-on month, and has doubled compared to the start of 2021.

Meanwhile, when non-dog owners were asked, as part of the August poll, whether the rising cost of living would prevent them from adopting or buying a dog, just under six out of ten people (58 per cent) in Scotland said it would.

Owen Sharp, Dogs Trust CEO, says: “The UK is fast heading towards a situation in which, due to the cost of living crisis, we’ll have a surplus of dogs whose owners need to give them up, but a deficit of people who can afford to take on a new dog.

Dogs Trust is issuing an urgent call for emergency foster carers.
Dogs Trust is issuing an urgent call for emergency foster carers.

“Dogs Trust is issuing an urgent call for emergency foster carers, especially people with experience of caring for big dogs, who can provide a port in a storm to a dog who, for the moment, has nowhere else to go. If you can help, we urge you to get in touch with us and help look after the nation’s dogs through this crisis.”

“Likewise, if you’re struggling to afford looking after your own dog, Dogs Trust will do all it can to help. I’m afraid we can’t promise miracles, but we’re always here to listen without judgement, talk through the options and give dog owners the benefit of our expert knowledge.”

How you can help?

Dogs Trust is urgently seeking fosterers – experienced dog owners who can offer temporary homes to dogs in need.

If you think you can offer a dog in need a temporary home while the UK is in financial crisis, please contact the charity at www.dogstrust.org.uk/rehoming/fostering

The charity is calling out, in particular, to people with space in their homes and hearts for dogs which are more difficult to find forever homes for, such as big dogs, un-housetrained dogs, and dogs with challenging behaviour.


Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.



This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies - Learn More