South Yorkshire has seen an 18 per cent increase in animals being abandoned due to the cost-of-living crisis.

This reflects a national increase of 51 per cent in animals being abandoned during the winter months since 2021.

The RSPCA has revealed a rise in the number of abandoned pets in South Yorkshire | RSPCA

placeholder image — The RSPCA has revealed a rise in the number of abandoned pets in South Yorkshire | RSPCA

The RSPCA released these statistics as part of its Join the Christmas Rescue campaign as the charity predicts more animals will be abandoned over the festive period.

RSPCA Chief Inspector Ian Briggs said: “For thousands of terrified and injured animals we’ll turn the worst suffering into the best Christmas yet. It will be the one where their lives change forever, and the start of many happier Christmases to come.”

Sign up for newsletters from The Star

In 2023, 727 abandoned animals were reported to the RSPCA in South Yorkshire, up from 615 in 2021.

Among the animals rescued in South Yorkshire by the RSPCA was a lurcher cross called Luca who lost 98 per cent of his fur and had a broken tail bone which had partly rotted off due to an infection.

RSPCA dog Inspector Ben Cottle-Shaw said Luca was the skinniest animal he had come across during his 16-year career.

Luca was found barely alive on Huddersfield Road in Barnsley in April 2023 and was so weak he could barely walk.

His owners were never traced but Luca made a remarkable recovery in RSPCA care and has been rehomed.

In another case four kittens were put in a box and thrown from a car in Sheffield in February.

The kittens were left by the entrance of Herdings Park Woods and were cared for at the RSPCA Sheffield Animal Centre in Attercliffe.

The three boys and one girl were named with a cheese theme as Emmental, Gouda, Gorgonzola and Mozzarella and all went on to be adopted.

In total, 20,999 reports were made to the charity’s emergency line in 2023 and 19,067 have been reported this year.

Nationally the number of abandoned animal reports in 2020 was 16,118.

The RSPCA believes the increase in pet ownership during lockdown and the cost-of-living crisis has led to more people abandoning their pets.

Mr Briggs said: “We’re seeing a shocking rise in the number of calls reporting pet abandonment to our emergency line and sadly we expect the trend will continue as more pet owners face financial hardship at this time of year more than any other.

“Our rescuers are regularly coming across dogs in poor health, collapsed and left in isolated spots to suffer a lingering death, sick kittens discarded in cardboard boxes who are lucky to be found alive or pet rabbits dumped in the wild with little chance of survival against predators.

“With the cost-of-living crisis we are also seeing people having to move out of properties due to financial pressures and we are increasingly coming across pets who have been left locked in homes in filthy conditions alone after their owners have moved out.

“Heartbreakingly we are seeing pets left with no food or water, no-one to care for them and no idea if anyone will come to help them.

“Thanks to the public supporting us we can rescue many animals, rehabilitate them and find them new homes. Far too many animals are suffering behind closed doors. But as long as animals are in desperate need this Christmas we won’t stop.”

For more information visit rspca.org.uk/winterappeal