“Unintentional neglect”.
This phrase stood out to me this week, and it’s stayed with me since I read it in an article by my Courier colleague Gayle Ritchie.
According to her report, the Scottish SPCA has uncovered a pattern of “unintentional neglect” of pets in Dundee.
That broke my heart right on the spot.
Not just because of that emotive word “neglect”, which takes me right back to the old Dogs Trust advert with that poor whimpering collie tied up to a fence-post.
But because of the desperate sadness of it being “unintentional”.
Deliberate cruelty to animals, or abandonment of them, would evoke a visceral reaction from anyone who has ever known the pure, unconditional love of a pet.
And if you’ve read this column for a while, you’ll know how honoured I’ve been to have both canine and feline friends close to my heart my whole life.
But Dundee’s problem isn’t that we’re a load of horrible people who hate our animals.
In fact, it seems we are a city full of pet owners who love our animals very much – we’re just struggling to afford them.
Why are pets suffering ‘unintentional neglect’ in Dundee?
The cost of living crisis has ravaged the poorest areas of this city, and destabilised even the better-off bits.
And four-legged family members are the silent victims suffering from it.
Families that once had enough money to comfortably support the kibble needs of one or two furry friends are now scrimping to put food on the table for the kids, never mind the cats.
And along with skyrocketing energy, insurance and council tax bills, already-expensive vet bills are certainly not getting any cheaper.
I myself routinely beg my cat: “Please don’t get ill this month”. So far, we’ve been lucky – and if she did need vet treatment, my insurance would hopefully bear the brunt.
But when I first got her in 2022, that wouldn’t have even been a concern. Now, costs are rising too fast for folk to keep up.
It’s no wonder there’s been a 24% increase in people trying to surrender their pets in the last year.
So I completely sympathise with Dundonians who never thought they’d have to choose now making the impossible choice to forego costly vet care in order to stay afloat – at the expense of their pets’ health.
As Scottish SPCA boss Jennie MacDonald told Gayle: “These people are not abusing animals. They’re struggling.”
Empathy is key to helping animals in need
I was so heartened to see the understanding and empathy in the animal charity’s approach to this issue in Dundee, as they launched their pop-up clinic and ‘one-stop shop’ for struggling pet owners.
It’s very easy to judge and say “if you can’t afford a pet, you shouldn’t have one”. But these aren’t objects folk have bought on tick.
They’re living, breathing beings, family members, and they have strong bonds with their owners.
To separate them midway through life because of unforeseeable financial trouble would be incredibly distressing to all souls involved – human and animal.
So in a refreshingly practical display of sense in an increasingly detached world, the Scottish SPCA has launched Pet Aid Community Hubs, where they’re providing vet care, free pet food, financial advice and more -starting here in Dundee.
The idea is that separating pet and owner should be a last resort.
Making a difference in Dundee
Instead of judging owners for having the problem, they’re helping the people (and animals) who need help.
And the uptake from Dundonians shows that this kind of support is what’s really needed in the city.
From a mum-of-two saying what a difference it makes to get some free cat food, to an 11-year-old rough collie getting his teeth and legs checked out after being surrendered by his elderly owner, the impact that the Scottish SPCA team made in just one day was incredible.
As well as tackling the stigma that comes with unintentional neglect, they provided care to individual animals and families.
That will no doubt make a huge difference to them in the coming months.
No one wants to see their beloved pet suffer when money won’t stretch.
Conversation