# Pet welfare and adoption trends in Spain

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/pet-welfare-and-adoption-trends-in-spain
> Updated: 2026-10-05T00:00:16.000Z. Sources: 5. Developments: 2.

In Spain, pet welfare concerns have shifted toward behavioral health and declining adoption rates. Veterinary experts from the Behavior Medicine Group (Gemca) are advising veterinarians to incorporate sleep quality into behavioral assessments for cats and dogs, noting that animals in a state of high alert may experience irritability. 

Additionally, pet adoption in Spain has fallen to its lowest level since the pandemic. Data from the Affinity Foundation indicates that only 120,000 animals were adopted in 2025, a 18.9 percent decrease from the previous year. This trend is linked to a preference for puppies over older animals with health concerns and housing restrictions that prevent pet ownership in rental properties.

## Timeline

### 2026-10-05: Pet welfare in Spain faces adoption declines and behavioral health concerns

Pet welfare in Spain is under scrutiny as experts call for better sleep assessments in veterinary care and adoption rates hit post-pandemic lows due to health preferences and housing restrictions.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/pet-welfare-in-spain-faces-adoption-declines-and-behavioral-health-concerns

### 2026-10-02: Animal welfare updates: Nutrition guidelines in Spain and rescue efforts in Argentina

Animal welfare initiatives and incidents are highlighted in Spain, where ANFAAC promotes balanced pet nutrition, and in Argentina, where rescuers treated a severely neglected greyhound.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/animal-welfare-updates-nutrition-guidelines-in-spain-and-rescue-efforts-in-argentina

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Cite as: Pet welfare and adoption trends in Spain. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/pet-welfare-and-adoption-trends-in-spain