Pet owners are avoiding accessing support services.

New research from Woodgreen Pets Charity has warned of a pet welfare ‘crisis’, amid continuing cost pressures.

The charity’s research project, Hidden Lives, revealed an estimated 7.4 million pets that it is concerned about every week. Many of these animals are believed to be outside the reach of traditional animal welfare services.

Its findings, which were commissioned through Savanta, were presented at the Association for Dogs and Cats Homes (ADCH) conference at Telford International Centre.

The research brings together responses from frontline workers, pet owners and Woodgreen’s outreach teams. The charity says this has uncovered the ‘scale and severity’ of the pet welfare crisis.

Data revealed that 90 per cent of community professionals which interacted with pet owners as part of their role did so at least once a week. Nearly three quarters of professionals met owners with a pet-related challenge weekly, with one in five experiencing this every day.

The most commonly observed pressure was cost, with 92 per cent of community professionals identifying this in their cases. This was followed by 78 per cent identifying gaps on knowledge and 74 per cent identifying access to support as an issue.

Woodgreen says that these pressures are having a direct and visible impact on pet welfare.

Its report reveals that 59 per cent of professionals voiced their belief that pets’ behaviour was being affected by additional pressures to pet ownership. Meanwhile 58 per cent of professionals reported impacts on pet’s physical health.

The charity believes that cost pressures have resulted in pet owners struggling to care for their pets. According to the charity’s data, more than half of community professionals saw individuals go without essentials to meet their pet’s needs.

However these issues appear to be hidden, with nine in ten professionals seeing pet owners avoid speaking to relevant services which could support them in their difficulties.

Fiona Cooke, associate director of policy and impact at Woodgreen, said: “These findings reflect what we have been seeing in communities for many years. There are pets living with unmet needs in homes across the country, and the people who care for them are often doing everything they can to cope before they ever ask for help. By that stage, the situation has often become much harder to resolve.

“What this research shows is that support opportunities already exist within communities, through professionals who are trusted and present in people’s lives. With the right understanding and approach, it is possible to reach owners earlier, reduce pressure on both people and pets, and prevent welfare issues from escalating.”

Read the full report here.

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