An animal welfare charity said it is “begging” people not to dump their pets amid rising concerns about neglect and abandonment. The RSPCA said it has seen a 25% rise in the number of abandonment incidents being dealt with by its rescue teams this year, as well as a 13% 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”.
The RSPCA said in recent weeks alone, its teams have rescued three eight-week-old puppies, including one who died, dumped in a food waste bin in Kent, four puppies dumped in a garden in Warrington, and a puppy in a carrier bag in West Yorkshire. It has also rescued five puppies with their umbilical cords still attached abandoned in a box in London, two cats who had been abandoned after giving birth to kittens in the West Midlands, and nine rabbits dumped in a wheelie bin in Nottinghamshire.
