A new online petition is calling on the UK Government to “urgently work” with charities and the veterinary industry to introduce targeted animal welfare support across the country to prevent cats and dogs from being abandoned or euthanised as pressure on pet owners mounts due to the ongoing cost of living crisis.
Wildlife protection and animal welfare campaigner, Dominic Dyer, created and posted the petition on the petitions-parliament website and warned that without intervention from the UK Government, “millions of dogs and cats could be at risk” on a scale not seen since the Second World War.
The petition proposes that a network of pet food banks should be introduced across the UK and that more kennels and veterinary care support is needed. Mr Dyer also wants to see the UK Government introduce free veterinary care for the pets of people who are homeless and mental health support for those working in the veterinary industry.
The campaigner is also proposing that local authorities should deal with stray dogs and that visas for non-UK vets and vet nurses, entering the UK, to be fast-tracked.
The ‘Create a Cost of Living Animal Welfare Crisis Fund to protect dogs & cats’ petition has already received more than 4,530 signatures of support from across the country and is open until April 30, 2023.
At 10,000 signatures the UK Government will respond and at 100,000 it would be considered for debate in Parliament.
The petition reads: “We face a companion animal welfare crisis of unprecedented proportions as a result of the cost of living crisis.
“Without Government intervention millions of dogs and cats could be at risk being abandoned or euthanised on economic grounds, on a scale not seen since the pet cull at the start of WWII.”
It continues: “The Government needs to urgently work with animal welfare charities and veterinary industry to put in place animal welfare funding for:
- a network of pet food banks across the UK
- more kennels & veterinary care support
- free veterinary care for the pets of people who are homeless
- mental health support for people working in the veterinary industry
- local authorities to deal with stray dogs
“The Government should also arrange fast-track visas for non-UK vets and vet nurses to enter [the] UK.”
You can view the petition online here.
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