Kokova Magazine

According to the RSPCA, new figures show an alarming increase in the number of pets being abandoned, with more than 37,000 animals being dumped across England and Wales in the past year.

This is a rise of 9,000 (34%) from the previous year, with financial difficulties being listed as one of the reasons people are getting rid of their pets.

Every year the charity sees a sharp rise in abandonments at the height of summer and evidence from the RSPCA and other animal charities suggests some people chose to get rid of their pets rather than pay for them to be looked after while they are on holiday.

In other cases, money may be spent on holidays and other summer 'treats' rather than seeking vet attention for ill or newborn animals, so they are simply discarded.

The shocking fact is that even in a nation of animal lovers, there are thousands of people out there who don't care about their pets at all. In fact, some literally treat them like rubbish. It's bad enough when we find a box of kittens wrapped in blankets on our doorstep with a note but now people are deliberately dumping their animals in out of the way places - like bins, skips or on waste ground - and leaving them to die.

Ben Strangwood, RSPCA deputy chief inspector

The animal welfare charity has released a list of the most unusual places that animals have been abandoned since May 2013. Including: -

• A dog dumped in a duffel bag
• Chinchillas found in a cage in a cemetery
• Very young rabbits discovered in a plant pot inside a shopping bag
• A mother cat and kittens dumped in a wheelie bin
• A terrapin left in a bucket in a children’s playground
• A man who walked into a Tesco and asked a woman to hold his cat while he called the RSPCA - and then never returned.

The list is a startling reminder that some really do view animals as commodities that can be discarded without a moments' thought.

The public is urged to be vigilant, and to alert the RSPCA if they notice boxes, bins or bags that could contain abandoned animals. Things to look out for include movement and noises.

To help the RSPCA continue its vital work rescuing, rehabilitating and re-homing abandoned animals across England and Wales, Text RUBBISH to 70800 to give £5 today.

The RSPCA and other animal welfare and charity groups offer advice and help for those in difficulties, with a number of options available. Neutering and vaccination help is available for those on a low income.

The RSPCA would urge anyone who is facing financial difficulties or are unable to cope with their pets to seek help sooner rather than later.

Visit the RSPCA help & advice pages for more information.
www.rspca.org.uk

Photo Credit: Kitten by Teodoro S Gruhl