RSPCA reveals number of calls the charity receives about abandoned animals in South Yorkshire

As part of the charity’s Cancel Out Cruelty campaign, the RSPCA has revealed that nationally it received more than 100 reports of animals being abandoned every single day throughout 2021.

A total of 38,087 abandonment reports were made to the charity’s cruelty line last year - an average of over 3,000 reports a month, 104 a day or four abandoned animals every hour.

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In South Yorkshire there were 1,071 abandoned animals reported to the RSPCA in 2021 and 873 abandonment reports have been made in the county already this year.

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The charity fears that a huge rise in pet ownership during the pandemic coupled with the cost of living crisis putting a strain on people’s finances means even more animals are being given up this year.

The animal welfare charity has released the stark figures as part of its Cancel Out Cruelty summer campaign which aims to raise funds to keep its rescue teams on the frontline saving animals in desperate need of help as well as raise awareness about how we can all work together to stop cruelty for good.

Dermot Murphy, Chief Inspectorate Officer at the RSPCA, said: “The idea of putting your cat in a cat carrier and taking them to a secluded spot in the woods before walking away, or chucking your dog out of the car and driving off leaving them desperately running behind the vehicle, is absolutely unthinkable and heartbreaking to most pet owners - but sadly we are seeing animals callously abandoned like this every single day.

“We understand that sometimes the unexpected can happen - the pandemic and cost of living crisis proved that - but there is never an excuse to abandon an animal. There are always other options for anyone who has fallen on hard times and can no longer afford to keep their pet.”

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.

Dogs were the most abandoned pet with 14,462 reports of dumped dogs made to the RSPCA last year. Cats were the second most abandoned pet with 10,051 reports of cats being dumped in 2021.

There were also 3,363 abandoned exotic pets reported to the RSPCA including 1,455 fish and 685 snakes.

In South Yorkshire, the RSPCA rescued four young kittens who were found dumped in a box in an alleyway in Doncaster.

The two males and two females were so young when they were found that their eyes were still closed.

They were discovered by a member of the public in Tickhill Road, Doncaster, last April.

Thankfully, the member of the public contacted the RSPCA for help and Animal Rescue Officer Liz Braidley collected the kittens.

Speaking at the time, she said: “These kittens are far too young to be away from their mum at just a week or so old. They were dumped like rubbish and left in a box in an alleyway in Doncaster without any food or water. Thankfully, they were spotted when they were and we were able to care for them.”

They were all rehomed.