How Do Dogs Feel When They’re Abandoned by Their Owners?
In a perfect world, no pet would ever be left behind. But, in reality, dogs are abandoned every day (and cats are too). This happens for all sorts of reasons – a new baby, a new job, a foreclosure on a home, a relocation. Burdens placed on people often translate to burdens placed on animals. And they, unfortunately, cannot pull themselves up by the proverbial bootstraps and fend for themselves.
As pet lovers, the idea of dogs walking the streets left behind in empty houses, or dropped off at pounds summons feelings of sadness and anger-many of us can’t even go into an animal shelter without wishing we could save them all. But, how do pets feel when they watch their family walk out the door?
Though animals don’t have the ability to verbalize their emotions, they’re not void of them. They cry in sorrow, they yip with glee, they wag a tail with enough force to leave a bruise on your leg, they run through parks and up hiking trails in clouds of joy.
They’re capable of feeling many of the emotions we feel as humans – fear, overwhelm, pain, empathy, loneliness, sadness, and longing. When facing abandonment, they can feel any of these (and more) but – often – they feel extremely confused.
Some of this is instinctual – dogs are innately programmed to be part of a pack. When domesticated, their family becomes their pack with their owner often fills the role of the alpha. If they find themselves suddenly pack-less, without their alpha to guide them, the only world they know comes to a crashing halt.
All of this traumatizes the dog, leaving them afraid, untrusting, and over-reactive to situations they may perceive as threatening. Yet it never seems to break the unconditional love they feel for mankind.
As if the emotional impact isn’t bad enough, abandonment hurts dogs physically too, especially if they’re left on the streets. For one thing, domesticated dogs do not maintain the hunting ability of their wild ancestors. This is why strays are often found malnourished with ribs so visible you can count each one; they lack the ability to feed themselves adequately without their humans to grab the can opener at dinnertime.
Strays are at risk for disease as well, since they’re not receiving necessary vaccinations or vet care and they’re often outside in the elements. The weather is a threat too as temperatures that are very low or very high can prove uncomfortable at best and life-threatening at worst. Cars and trucks (and even bicycles) may also maim or kill dogs if they run into traffic.
While bigger dogs don’t have many predators if living in a city or suburb, they can be attacked or killed on occasion by coyotes, mountain lions, raccoons, or foxes (especially if they’re on the smaller side). Extremely small dogs may even be carried off by hawks or eagles.
So, how do dogs feel when they’re abandoned by their owners? Utterly heartbroken.
The single reprieve, of course, is that there is hope: The abandoned dog can one day become the adopted dog.
JJ Keeler lives in Colorado with a house full of pets. She owns three dogs, two cats, and a hamster she bought as a bribe to get her daughter to ride the school bus. She has a BA in English Literature from the University of Colorado and has worked as a professional writer for fifteen years. Her clothes are perpetually covered in pet hair.
