The sale of pets in shops has decreased while adoption is increasing in Spain!

MADRID.

According to a study by the Madrid Society of Veterinarians, the sales of dogs and cats in shops has decreased by 10% over the last ten years and the number of pets adopted has increased. Also the tradition of giving a pet as a gift dropped considerably between 2007 and 2017 which has direct consequences for the number of dogs and cats abandoned.

The Asociación Madrileña de Veterinarios de Animales de Compañía (AMVAC) presented its report this week, looking at the situation of veterinarians in Spain between 2007 and 2017. One of the most striking figures is that of the purchase of animals in shops and those of adoption. For example, the sales in shops decreased from 25% in 2007 to 15% in 2017, while the adoption from animal shelters rose from 4.9% in 2007 to 14.9% in 2017 Also the provision of animals between private individuals has increased from 9 , 8% to 15.4% and that of animals obtained by ads from 1.1% to 2.7%.

What is also striking is that the giving of a dog or cat as a gift fell significantly from 34.2% in 2007 to 25.2% in 2017. The main reason for purchasing or taking in a dog or cat is because the people love animals (48.4%) followed by wanting an animal as a companion to take away loneliness (18.7%) and the fact that the children wanted to have a dog or cat is also a motive for having a pet ( 9.6%). In 6.2% of cases, the adopted pet is abandoned or killed, while in 5.4% of these cases a pet was given as a gift.

22,400 veterinarians can be found in Spain, a number which is much too high according to the European norm, which this is linked to GDP. According to the EU, there should be 12,994 where there is a "surplus" of 9,409 veterinarians in Spain.

Source: Written by Remco Stoffer on behalf of SpainSites.nl.