According to new research, the demand for dog adoption has increased by 14.7% since the first lockdown struck in 2020, with Manchester ranked the 8th most popular area for dog adoption in the UK.
Kennel manufacturer Benchmark Kennels analysed the monthly number of visits to dog adoption websites across the 100 most populated UK towns and cities.
It was uncovered that in the first half of 2020, there was an average number of 1,474 visits to dog rescue sites per UK area, which climbed to 1,692 a year later.
These findings revealed Watford as the most popular area for dog adoption in July 2021, with 12,799 average monthly site visits.
Manchester made the top 10, with 4,829 monthly site visits to dog adoption websites.
In contrast, Belfast showed the least interest in dog adoption sites, with only 820 monthly visits on average, equating to just 0.2% of the Northern Ireland capital’s population.
Cheryl Sampson, marketing manager at Benchmark Kennels, said: “It’s so heartening to see that there’s been an increase in dog adoption, especially considering that lockdown has also spurred a rise in dog theft and abandonment.
“Adopting a dog is such a wonderful act of kindness, as it gives the pup another chance at a forever home while also bringing so much joy into the new owner’s life.
“As rewarding as it is, dog adoption is a huge responsibility that shouldn’t be taken lightly, as you don’t want to repeat the mistakes of the former owner and have to give up the pup later down the line.
“Before committing to this decision, consider whether you have the time to train, exercise, and care for the pooch, as well as giving them the attention they deserve. There’s also the ongoing costs involved to keep in mind.”
There has been a slight decrease in the number of people looking into surrendering their dogs. From January to June in 2020, there was an average of 22 monthly visits to ‘giving up your dog’ pages on dog adoption, which lowered to 17 during the first six months of 2021.
Consult your local dog shelters and rescue centres for further advice and information on adopting dogs in your area.
