{"id":36367,"date":"2021-12-10T14:43:31","date_gmt":"2021-12-10T14:43:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sheffieldwire.co.uk\/?p=36367"},"modified":"2021-12-10T14:43:31","modified_gmt":"2021-12-10T14:43:31","slug":"charities-brace-for-christmas-and-covid-dog-abandonment-crisis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sheffieldwire.co.uk\/index.php\/2021\/12\/10\/charities-brace-for-christmas-and-covid-dog-abandonment-crisis\/","title":{"rendered":"Charities brace for Christmas and COVID dog abandonment crisis"},"content":{"rendered":"

On a cold winter\u2019s night in 2013, Ian Courtney\u2019s life was changed forever.<\/span><\/p>\n

His girlfriend at the time was on duty as a police officer when she heard scratching and whining coming from a box left at the side of the road.<\/span><\/p>\n

Upon investigating, she found an abandoned 11-week-old female Jack Russell puppy inside.<\/span><\/p>\n

She made the decision to take the puppy to her and Ian’s home in Newcastle.<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite much searching for missing flyers and any contacts in the area, nobody came forward to claim her.<\/span><\/p>\n

The couple then made the decision to keep the pup, who they named Daisy.<\/span><\/p>\n

This was not something Ian, 39, had planned for.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Ian Courtney, owner of Daisy and Sophia<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t have time for a dog\u201d he said, but it became clear straight away just how special this little one was.<\/span><\/p>\n

He said: \u201cI was smitten right from the get go.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Daisy<\/p><\/div>\n

Daisy is now eight and a half, and lives life to her fullest alongside Ian and her sister Sophia, a seven and half year old mixed breed who was also rescued from Romania.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ian is a firm advocate of adopt, don\u2019t stop, and says that his two dogs are his whole life.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Sophia<\/p><\/div>\n

Struggling to imagine how he could ever give up his beloved dogs, he said: \u201cI\u2019m sure there are a number of cases where people have very good reasons, but there is a difference between dropping a dog off at a shelter and leaving a dog behind.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

‘Don\u2019t be too proud’<\/span><\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dog abandonment over the festive period is a problem the RSPCA is bracing for as it launches its \u2018Join the Christmas Rescue\u2019 appeal this week.<\/span><\/p>\n

Pet ownership hit new heights as a result of the pandemic, with estimates of more than 3.2m people taking on new pets.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, as abandonment has risen by 20% this year compared to 2020, the charity fears a surge of pets left behind as people return to normal life following lockdown.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n