More than 25,000 animals were abandoned in Switzerland in 2024, according to the Swiss Animal Protection Society (PSA), which warns of a worrying rise in the number of pets left behind.
The charity recorded 32,079 animals taken in by shelters last year, 572 more than in 2023. Of these, 25,403 were abandoned, 5,449 were found, and 1,234 were seized in official interventions.
The increase was broad-based. Cats saw the sharpest rise, with 7,963 taken in, up 357 year on year. Numbers of rodents and rabbits also climbed to 2,047, up 219.
Fish remain by far the most frequently abandoned species: 18,605 were taken in, a figure largely unchanged from 2023. The number of dogs in shelters rose markedly, from 865 to 1,009.
“This clear rise is not a positive development,” said Marco Mettler, PSA’s director-general. Many shelters, he warned, are nearing capacity.
The organisation urges prospective owners to think carefully before acquiring a pet.
More on this:
PSA article (in French) – Take a 5 minute French test now
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