In Portugal, the bond between humans and their pets can dissolve in an instant. Ziro and Mike, two dogs who spent their lives in loving homes, ended their days in the care of SOS Animal, a Portuguese animal welfare organization. Their owners, both elderly, passed away without leaving instructions for their animals' future. Relatives, inheriting the estates, chose to abandon the dogs rather than take them in.
Ziro, left to wander the streets of Setúbal, was hit by a car and beaten, suffering severe injuries to his mouth. Mike, afflicted with heart disease, was taken in by neighbors but ultimately found refuge at SOS Animal, where he died. Ziro remains at the sanctuary, waiting for a new home.
Abandoning an animal in Portugal has been a crime since 2014, punishable by up to six months in prison or a fine. Yet, as Sandra Duarte Cardoso, veterinary surgeon and president of SOS Animal, explains, the law often fails in practice. "The microchip is registered in the name of the person who has died, so the administrative offence is issued in the name of the deceased," she says. "To date, of all the complaints we have filed – because whoever inherits the estate should also inherit the animals – none has ever resulted in a conviction."
This Saturday, 15 August, marks International Abandoned Animals Day, a date that underscores a harsh reality in Portugal, particularly acute during the summer months. "Nobody thinks about moving country, or house, and leaving their children behind or dropping them off at an organisation, but with animals they do," Cardoso laments.
Legislation and its limits
Portugal made microchipping dogs compulsory in 2008 and extended the requirement to cats in 2022, aiming to curb abandonment. However, the rule is often ignored, and the numbers have not declined as hoped. The National Republican Guard (GNR) reported that between 2024 and the first half of 2026, more than 2,400 crimes were recorded, with 28 arrests. July and August see the highest incidence, with 142 cases (38.1% of the annual total), linked to holiday travel.
SOS Animal, established in 2007, runs a veterinary clinic and a sanctuary whose location is kept private to prevent further dumping. Cardoso recalls a time when animals were thrown over the fence daily: "At the beginning, people would throw animals over the fence. I remember a case of a four-week-old puppy that was thrown in with other dogs running loose here, a goat that broke its legs, and cats were 'our daily bread'."
For Cardoso, the root problem is a lack of "civic education" in how society views animals. "In our country, abandonment has been normalised," she says, describing the constant emails from people threatening to abandon their pets if the NGO does not take them in. "They are so completely comfortable with this option that it becomes a form of blackmail. When no one in their right mind says: 'If you don't help me with my child, who has a problem, I'm going to abandon them, I'm going to leave them by the side of the road'."
Cardoso traces these attitudes to a perception of animals as property. "Animals are still seen as a possession, as something a person owns, that is useful up to a point and, when it no longer is, they think they have the right to get rid of this 'thing' and that caring for it is not a non-negotiable responsibility," she argues.
Research published in the Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science in 2022, co-authored by Cardoso, identified common reasons for abandonment: lack of time, illness of the animal, lack of space, aggressive behavior, and property damage. The post-pandemic period revealed a lack of commitment among many adopters. "During Covid there was a boom in adoptions because many people suddenly had more time at home and adopted without knowing what their lives would look like later," she recalls. Once routines resumed, many animals were returned or abandoned.
The issue extends beyond Portugal, reflecting broader European challenges in pet ownership and welfare. As animals across Europe react to environmental changes, the human-animal bond remains fragile. While some countries have stricter enforcement, Portugal's experience highlights the need for better education and legal accountability.
Cardoso remains determined, but the daily reality is daunting. "We are fighting a battle that seems endless," she says, "but every animal saved is a victory."
