What does daily life look like for dogs abandoned on the streets?

Life on the streets is harsh and unsafe for abandoned dogs. Each day can mean searching for food, trying to find shelter, and avoiding serious dangers such as traffic, injury, and neglect.

 Many homeless dogs suffer from malnutrition. Often surviving on whatever they can find, foraging, and some go long preiods without proper food.

Conditions can worsen when dogs must compete for food or a place to rest. This can lead to fights, untreated injuries, and further suffering..

Dogs living on the streets are also far more vulnerable to disease. Common risks include parasites such as ticks, fleas, and mosquitoes, as well as illnesses such as leishmaniasis, mange, distemper, and other serious infections..

Some images below may be distressing. We share them carefully to explain why prevention and early intervention matter.

The impact is not only physical. Many abandoned dogs also carry fear and trauma long after they are rescued. Some recover quickly in a safe environment, while others need time, patience, and specialist support.1 

For all of these reasons, the life expectancy of a street dog is far lower than that of a dog living safely in a home.

Sadly, animal abandonment remains a serious problem in Spain.

Recent data shows that hundreds of thousands of dogs and cats enter shelters in Spain each year – approximately 170 thousand dogs and 120 thousand cats – (Spanish Ministry figures, 2024).

The scale of intake reflects a structural problem, not mere isolated incidents. BABU puts strong emphasis on prevention, education, and responsible care.

These figures are likely still an underestimate, as not every case is formally recorded. Seasonal patterns can also make the problem worse at certain times of year.

Common reasons for abandonment include:

• Unwanted litters (15%)
• Loss of interest in the animal (13%)
• Behavioural issues (12%)
• End of hunting season (11%)
• Financial hardship (10%)
• Moving house or relocation (9%)
• Allergies (5%)
• Hospitalisation or death of owner (5%)
• Lack of time or space (4%)
• Birth of a child (4%)
• Divorce or separation (3%)
• Holiday or travel plas(2%)
• Loss of employment (2%)

The consequences are serious: more animals living without safety, more pressure on shelters, and more suffering for dogs who may never reach a stable home.

What can we do to reduce overpopulation? We must address the root cause: preventing unwanted litters.

Under current law, breeding is restricted and responsible sterilisation is increasingly treated as a core part of animal welfare and population control.