There’s been a huge increase in the number of pets being abandoned in North Yorkshire.
New figures released today by the RSPCA show there were 613 abandoned animals reported to the charity in North Yorkshire last year.
And another 456 were abandoned up to the end of July this year – a 48% increase from January-July 2021.
That’s a lot higher than the national increase, which hit 24% in 2022.
Among these cases were two kittens dumped on the doorstep at RSPCA York Animal Home on Landing Lane, York, at 7.30pm on 27 January.
A spokesperson from the centre said: “When our staff arrived at work on 28 January they found the two kittens left on the doorstep in a plastic pet carrier.
“They’d been out all night in the cold. They were both initially very nervous but settled in well.”
The cats were named Cora and Machli, and once they were fully recovered from their ordeal they were put up for rehoming.
Nationally, there were four abandoned animals recorded every hour last year.
The RSPCA has released the 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.
It also aims to 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.
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“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.”
A survey by the charity found that 78% of pet owners think the cost of living will impact their animals, almost seven out of 10 (68%) expressing concern that the cost of care was increasing, and a fifth (19%) worried about how they’ll afford to feed their pets.
You can support the RSPCA’s work here.
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