Devon pet sanctuary warns of damage caused to unsocialised dogs

A Devon animal charity is taking in an alarming number of dogs that have never set foot outside a garden.

Some of the dogs rescued by Woodside Animal Welfare Sanctuary at Elfordleigh in the South Hams have not seen a lead, let alone walked to a park or the woods.

By the time they are brought to the sanctuary, some of these dogs will display defensive or aggressive traits towards animals or people, while others will be extremely nervous.

As National Walk Your Dog Day approaches on February 22, the charity is urging people to make time every day to walk their dogs, to prevent potentially long term problems.

Sanctuary manager Helen Lecointe said: “We have a big problem with dogs that have not been socialised.

“A dog will be brought into the sanctuary and we will ask the person bringing it in what it’s like on a lead and out in public. We have people who say they don’t know as they have only ever let the dog out in the garden.

“A dog comes here and goes out into the woods or the field and doesn’t have a clue how to act. It is very hard for them.”

Helen explained that the first 16 weeks of a dog’s life were a formative time in which it was vital for them to socialise and be exposed to different environments and situations.

However, after this time, she stressed that able dogs needed to be out of the house every day with their owners, meeting other dogs and people.

By doing this, she said many dogs would not develop the issues that often bring them into the sanctuary and, in turn, make is harder for them to be rehomed. 

“A lot of the dogs we have here for rehoming are not getting homes, not because they are too bad or too old or the wrong breed but because they have not been socialised and are now a lot for people to cope with.

“If all dogs were socialised from an early age it would prevent a lot of the problems that we see at the sanctuary.”

For more information on Woodside visit www.woodsidesanctuary.org.uk, call 01752 347503, email generalenquiries@woodsidesanctuary.org.uk or find the sanctuary on Facebook.