Fears for RSPCA Preston and District branch as more pets are being dumped over Christmas

With more than 100 reports of abandoned animals made to the RSPCA every day owing to the tightening of purse strings in UK households, a huge strain has also been placed on pet owners and animal rescue centres. Post Covid, the branch has seen a surge in the amount of neglected animals coming through the door and is now faced with a struggle to take in the amount that are out there.

Mark, who has been at the centre for four years, said: "It's quite worrying that people aren't going to be able to support themselves let alone their animals. Having the amount of animals coming through our door means we can't rehome as quick as we would because of the amount of rehabilitation that these dogs or cats are requiring due to the level of cruelty and neglect.

"Please don't just buy a dog solely for Christmas. That extends to every animal - an animal is for life and not just for Christmas. It's only the RSPCA and other animal charities that are having to pick up the pieces. Having the amount of animals coming through our doors means we can't rehome as quick as we normally would."

A 25 per cent rise in animal abandonment in 2022

Even more heartbreaking is the fact that the problem of neglected animals being left out in the cold to fend for themselves is not just a stand-alone Preston issue, but a worldwide one, as RSPCA branches across the country continuously beg people not to dump their pets this winter. The RSPCA said it has seen a 25 per cent rise in the number of abandonment incidents being dealt with by its rescue teams this year, as well as a 13 per cent rise in neglect incidents. The charity said it is working hard to keep pets in loving homes this Christmas by providing support to those struggling. It is appealing to people who are in a position to donate to join the Christmas Rescue at a time when the charity says “any contribution could make the difference between life and death for animals this winter”. Recent figures show that to October 2022, RSPCA rescuers dealt with 13,159 incidents of abandonment – up from 10,519 for the same time period the previous year. The incidents of neglect being dealt with by teams has also risen, with 30,500 by the end of October 2022, compared to 27,521 over the same period in 2021.

Dermot Murphy, who heads the RSPCA frontline rescue teams, said: “We’re extremely sympathetic to anyone struggling with rising costs at this difficult time but we’re begging people not to dump their pets. It is never the answer. Please, please ask for help. We are doing what we can to help, especially trying to keep pets in loving homes, but we are struggling too. Our branches and centres are full to bursting and we have hundreds of pets waiting to get in. We really need animal lovers to help us get through this crisis time.”

RSPCA pet food banks are also helping struggling owners in a scheme that has seen branches partnering with local food banks with tens of thousands of meals having already been donated, transported and given out. There is also dedicated cost of living support being offered by the RSPCA with a recently opened telephone helpline to support callers who are worried about the cost of living crisis and a dedicated cost of living hub with practical help and advice on the website.

The charity's Cancel Out Cruelty campaign saw a total of 38,087 abandonment reports made to the cruelty line last year - an average of over 3,000 reports a month, 104 a day or four abandoned animals every hour. Heartbreakingly, the number of animals being dumped is also on the rise with a 17 per cent increase from 2020 to 2021 and a 24 per cent increase in 2022. From January to July 2021 there were 18,375 abandonment reports compared to 22,908 in the first seven months of this year - a rise of 24 per cent and a recent report released by the RSPCA in partnership with the Scottish SPCA also showed that the cost of living crisis is the most urgent threat to pet welfare in the UK.

78 per cent of per owners think the cost of living will impact their animals

The Animal Kindness Index showed that 78 per cent of pet owners think the cost of living will impact their animals, almost seven out of 10 (68 per cent) expressing concern that the cost of care was increasing, and a fifth (19 per cent) worried about how they'll afford to feed their pets. The study also showed cat owners seem to be most impacted and concerned about cost of living pressures. Dogs were the most abandoned pet with 14,462 dumped reports made to the RSPCA last year.

Mark added that since Covid more animals have needed rehoming at the Preston branch and, sadly, more of which had been subjected to abuse and neglect.

"Our ultimate ambition is to have a world in which all humans respect and live in harmony with members of the animal kingdom. We will continue our welfare work in the local community and wider field but also to continue fundraising to make us more sustainable so we can continue doing the work that we do and will be recruiting new trustees for the branch in the near future."

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