Animal Abandonment at an all time high

This Christmas period has been tinged with sadness as new statistics released by the RSPCA reveal that three pets were abandoned every hour during the holiday period.

In the past, instead of being left on the streets, pets were given to animal shelters. For many different reasons, however, such as a lack of animal shelters, between 2007 and 2012 the number of abandoned pets went up by 7 million.

Cemeteries have now become a ‘hot-spot’ for leaving dogs and cats, where recently three dogs were left at the Veterans Cemetery in Exeter. Rather than being abandoned at a young age, it is becoming much more common for pets to be left to fend for themselves when they are a lot older.

In December, three cats were found in St Thomas, Exeter, all over 10 years old, locked out of their owner’s house and left to die. When brought in to vets, they were found to all have separate serious illnesses in which the owner could not afford to pay for treatment.

Therefore, financial strain can now be seen as a primary cause for the rise in pet abandonment. Despite this financial strain the majority of England is feeling, we need to be more aware of the costs and risks of getting a pet. Exeter’s rates of pet abandonment are higher than ever before, and something needs to be done about this.

If you have seen or heard about an abandoned pet recently, or an abused animal, the RSPCA helpline is: 0300 1234 999. By calling this number you could easily save an animal’s life.

Tatum Gollop