The vice-president of LPDA remarked on the growing awareness that people, whether they want to or not, cannot and should not abandon an animal due to the sense of responsibility involved. This sentiment was expressed in light of International Abandoned Animals Day.
According to Florbela Chaves, some individuals find themselves responsible for animals belonging to relatives who have passed away or been institutionalized, despite not wanting to keep them.
She highlighted that animals are often left at the organization’s doorstep, which is not legally considered abandonment, though it poses a challenge.
There are instances where individuals threaten to abandon their dogs or cats in the streets if the League does not find a solution, although the organization cannot always assist.
“We would love to help every animal, to have the capacity to do so, but it is impossible,” she emphasized.
Based in Barcarena (Oeiras), the LPDA has observed a rarity of abandoned dogs in the streets of Greater Lisbon, unlike the more frequent presence of stray cats.
“In colonies that we had previously deemed resolved with all animals sterilized, we are now finding many tame and docile animals, which suggests they once had owners, as feral cats are not typically gentle,” noted Chaves.
The situation differs 40 to 50 kilometers beyond Greater Lisbon, where abandoned dogs remain a common sight.
In the first decade since the criminalization of pet abandonment (2015-2024), the police have identified a total of 3,014 suspects and recorded 6,711 crimes across the country.
International Abandoned Animals Day is observed this Saturday.
