They hardly know any other dogs, are often frightened and are very shy: Corona dogs show conspicuous social behavior. And unfortunately they often end up in animal shelters.
Many people bought dogs during the Corona period – but there are now problems with some of these animals.
For example, animal shelters in Saarland and Rhineland-Palatinate are increasingly reporting difficulties with so-called corona dogs. Many owners no longer want the animals. And animal rights activists are not only concerned about the number of dogs given up, but also about their behavior.
“Most of those who have been given in the last eight months are a year old and completely unsocialized,” said Frederick Guldner, spokesman for the 1924 Saarbrücken animal protection association and the Bertha Bruch animal shelter. “They know no other animals, few people, no cars and no external influences. And when a door slams, they get a fright.”
The animals need therapy
With 60 dogs, the animal shelter in Saarbrücken is currently full. There are always questions, but the mediation is problematic: “They are simply not the most social dogs because they were not worked with. That makes it difficult,” says Guldner. And if the dogs bark directly at other conspecifics during the first test walk, it is “directly deterrent” for many interested parties.
This problem is also known at the German Animal Welfare Association Rhineland-Palatinate. “What is currently causing particular difficulties is that there are many animals with behavioral problems,” said the state association chairman Andreas Lindig. “It doesn’t necessarily have to be about aggressiveness, sometimes it’s very simple things.” For example, the dogs were afraid, couldn’t stay alone, would break things in the apartment or didn’t want to walk on a leash.
“These animals need extensive therapy,” said Lindig. Animal shelters are often unable to do this because they have neither the money nor the staff. The result: “The dogs sit in the homes for a very long time and thus also block places for others. And the facilities fill up quickly.”
