Abandoned dogs caused nearly 3000 accidents in 2008
Abandoned dogs caused nearly 3.000 road accidents in Spain in 2008, according to figures from a campaign against pet abandonment filed on Friday by the Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT) in partnership with animal welfare services.
This figure accounts for 23% of accidents caused by the explosion on the track of an animal, which have doubled since 2004, going from 6,000 to 12,000 a year, and last year that caused eight deaths.
The deputy director general of the DGT, Aurora Cedenilla, explained that 94% of accidents caused by animals occur by a vehicle colliding with it and the rest by drivers attempts to avoid a collision.
The dog is the pet that causes most accidents, according Cedenilla, and the animal that most threatens the safety of drivers is the boar. There were 3.904 accidents in 2008, up 31%.
Castilla y Leon, Andalusia and Galicia are the areas where there have been more accidents caused by abandoned dogs on the roads.
Under the slogan “El abandono causa accidentes (Abandonments cause accidents),” the campaign, which partners with the Asociación Nacional para la Defensa de los Animales (ANDA), la Federación de Asociaciones de Protección de Animales de la Comunidad de Madrid (FAPAM) and dog food Pedigree, aims to reduce the number of pets abandoned during the summer holidays.
In July and August, through in 86 service areas of the Spanish roads 200.000 brochures will be distributed that provides information on security measures recommended when traveling with dogs in the car and give practical advice to families with pets who decide to take holidays.
“In Spain in 2008 were abandoned more than 110,000 dogs,” said the head of Pedigree José Gago, reflecting an 8% increase over the previous year. Cedenilla, stated that allowing animals on the roads without custody is punishable by law. This legislation also includes a serious infringement if the animal inside a car is not secured by appropriate fastenings. An offence also punishable by law.