Suffolk RSPCA centres are ‘overflowing’ a spokesperson has said as animal abandonments in the county have soared to a three year high.
The RSPCA has warned unwanted pets face a bleak winter, with abandonments in Suffolk rising 14.5% compared with 2020.
In the county the charity is on course to receive 222 reports of abandonment this year.
This follows a three-year national trend of rising reports and this year, up to the end of October, the charity has received 17,838 reports of abandoned animals across England and Wales.
RSPCA chief inspector for Suffolk Adam Jones said: “Our centres are absolutely overflowing, so we’re challenged to get animals in there.
“We’ve had to prioritise animals in dire need and that’s been hard because sometimes things have to wait.”
Mr Jones did not think there was any total solution to the abandonment problem but urged people to consider costs before buying pets.
He said: “You’re never going to stop this completely. There’s the pandemic and the cost-of-living rise that have probably contributed.
“During the pandemic lots of people went out and got animals and animals inbred so there’s been an increase of unwanted animals and now it’s created a perfect storm.
“There’s a lot of unwanted animals and a lot of people who can’t afford them.”
He added: “The way to make it better is for people to take accountability and put in consideration before taking on a pet.”
In May, the RSPCA launched an appeal for information after two cockapoo puppies were dumped at a roadside in Ipswich.
The dogs, aged about 10 weeks old, were found at the side of Old London Road.
Both pups were quite lethargic when they were found, with the smaller of the two particularly sluggish and cold.
The pups went into the care of an RSPCA foster carer.
In November last year an equally terrible case took place and the RSPCA had to take in a mother and her eight kittens which were dumped in the middle of a field in Bramfield, near Halesworth, in crates.
The exhausted mother, and eight kittens were then given the needed care before finding a new home.
This year the RSPCA is asking supporters to join the Christmas Rescue by donating to help rescue teams reach the thousands of animals who desperately need them.
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