Unwanted pets face a bleak winter this year with instances of abandonment on the Isle of Wight rising sharply compared with 2020. The animal welfare charity RSPCA has released shocking new stats that show abandonments have been spiralling amid the ongoing cost of living crisis. On the Isle of Wight, the charity is on course to receive 47 reports of animal abandonment this year – marking a 33.8% rise in the number of reports received in the local community in 2020. Nationally, this year -up to the end of October – the animal welfare charity has received 17,838 reports of abandoned animals across England and Wales, which, if such trends continue, would equate to 21,417 reports over 2023. This compares with 16,118 reports during the whole of 2020, meaning the RSPCA is on course to see an eye-watering 32.9% rise in abandonment calls this year. This is higher than the number of reports received in 2021 (17,179) and 2022 (19,645). Dermot Murphy, who heads the RSPCA frontline rescue teams, said:
“The combined effects of the pandemic and the ongoing cost of living crisis has created a perfect storm – and means we expect more animals than ever will need our help this year. “Abandonment calls to our emergency line are now at a three-year high, as we respond to an increasing number of animals being given up and dumped. “Behind these shocking statistics are thousands of vulnerable animals. Each one is a valuable life in urgent need of our help. “We’re desperately concerned about the coming winter months on the Isle of Wight because abandonments have soared and many rescue centres are full to bursting, so we are facing an unprecedented winter crisis. “Our rescue teams are set to be busier than ever this Christmas – so we need animal lovers to join the Christmas rescue and donate to help us be there for animals in desperate need as neglect and abandonment soars.”
As this article is very much aimed at fund raising please do not forget the charities like Friends of the Animals and others who do so much for animals on the island and often deal with rescues when The RSPCA can’t, or will not go out when requested. You may recall recently and as shown on Island Echo, The RSPCA were unable or unwilling to rescue an injured swan and it was left to others to deal with, so please share your donations around.
Perhaps if they did something to stop the huge trade in puppies on Wightbay it would help. The sale of dogs should be rigidly regulated as huge numbers of dogs were bought during the pandemic by idiots who gave no thought about what would happen in the future. A dog is for life, it is not a toy to relieve boredom for a while.
Spot on,to use an increasingly hackneyed phrase.Puppy farming is a wicked business and needs regulation to the max.Banning preferably..Egotism should carry hefty price tags for those on that trip.10 grand minimum per puppy for those eugenically aligned morons.Anyone rescuing an animal should pay zero for their kindnesses too.
I agree, a dog is for life and not just for Christmas – I should know I married one!
LoL
……I’ve got a bag for life!
All the selfish owners who got animals for there kids! Irresponsible lot.less rigid home checks so they go too awful homes in end.dont just dump if your in strife…call an animal charity fgs.take them direct if they wont help.please donate items they need
A lot of this is driven by the out of control letting market. So many do not allow pets. We once had good council housing that allowed the working person live a nice life without stupid high rents and daft restrictions. But the Tories sold it all. Now everyone is asking for high wadges to pay their rents and force to abandon their animals. High inflation is the fault of the Tories. They have sold the UK, it is dead now. And our useless royal family, the ones who should protect the UK, just sit by and count their money.
Aaaaand another story turned into a partizan bash. The intervening Blair years did nothing to reverse the sale of council owned housing or the disastrous sale of public utilities, so what have you got? As it happens, I agree with you on both the above, but err, give it a rest Fred there’s a good chap
Pets are often less trouble than kids, people shouldnt have to give up their pet to get housed, i also believe that back street breeders need to be stopped
we offered to home a dog 2 years ago did not hear from them at all. but they keep on do we want to donate The rspca are not interested in rehoming dogs just donations. we have a dog now got him from a young family who kept him in a cage all day after a bit of training he is getting on ok now
Agree. Not just the RSPCA but a number of other rescue/shelter/rehoming charities need to look at thier rehoming policies especially the age restrictions.
You’re spot on … they are too rigid with rules regarding rehoming – yes they need to check but I know of several people who live in rural locations that they refused rehoming of dogs – one of the reasons was because it was on a main road / yes a main road through a quiet village! The other was because the large garden had 6 foot high hedges and not a fence – the potential owner pointed out that it backed onto open fields and was quite happy to fence the garden – they still refused.
The RSPCA are an embarrassment. I called them a few years ago to help a poorly
Bird, they did not offer to help.
You are correct, they only want people’s money.
They are very good if there’s a TV camera at the scene.
Google Ramsgate sheep slaughter,RSPCA
Why do people dump animals? can they not just relinquish them at the RSPCA or is there a problem or cost for doing this?
Surely it would be better to be able to hand over your animal to someone rather than abandon them.
It is too easy to buy a pet in the first instance.
It is a huge responsibility owning a pet, insurance yes, because vet bills are astronomical, why I do not know.
Exercising your animal too is absolutely necessary even in bad weather.
People must realise you cant leave a dog all day on its own this is cruel.
Food is expensive.
Think long and hard about buying, its a massive responsibility.
If there are so many and they are inundated, why is there only 3 dogs on the website for adoption and 1 for fostering then ????
If they looked at the family, rather than the building (no flats) they might not be in such a mess?!?
I’m home most of the day. Live close to a park, yet with no garden they won’t even consider us as “adoptees”.
The RSPCA are amazing, we recently adopted a rescue cat with them and they couldn’t have been more helpful
All the thick scum again to blame..
It’s ridiculous. The rspca make you fill out forms, don’t respond to emails even when you ask about specific animals. Then they don’t let you have them often. Give give give, to them but they don’t meet you half way. Rehoming animals from miles away! Why don’t they just stick to helping island animals?
If you feel you cannot keep you pet any longer please do not dump them they do not deserve being treated this way there are charities on the island that will help you it’s so cold and wet please be more considerate towards them thank you
Poor dogs. So many were bought during COVID lockdown with no long term plan considered as to what would happen when owners had to go back to work!
These puppies weren’t socialized or trained or never left very much on their own, now most have behavioural issues. I blame the get rich quick irresponsible breeders who were churning out these poor puppies with no real care for their wellbeing. Humans screw dogs up, that’s for sure.
Now the rescue centres are swamped with unwanted animals. So sad.
Your so right. It was pure greed for the highly inflated prices these so called breeders were charging for their puppies. Some puppies nothing more than Mongrels, with a designer name. Also very unlikely the parents were veterinary health checked for any breed related health issues.
I wanted to give an old dog a home a few years ago. The RSPCA were so unhelpful, I ended up rescuing a Spanish dog. Such a shame as the old boy they had would have had a glorious retirement.
Surely there could be a way to sponsor families that are struggling with pet bills so they can stay at home with Thier families? That would be kinder. It’s not bad dog parenting to be left unable to manage due to crisis, many people are at breaking point.
Would be great if people could keep their pets, must be heartbreaking for those that genuinely can’t afford the costs now due to the cost of living…..
Vets bills are ridiculous, my mum got quoted 4,000 for a tendan fix in the leg of her Bicton, but told it may not work! She did not have it done and his fine! ..I had to pay £200 to have my old dog put to sleep! I hear many stories of dogs operations costing thousands! Many owner’s don’t realise until their dog gets ill. Not all People can afford vet bills, even with insurance they are extortionate! That’s part of the reason why this abandoning happens! Vet’s were reasonable in my day, the older Vet’s cared for the pet not just the money. I won’t get another dog for this reason. Not all Vet’s are money hungry, but some are, through experience
Why are importing dogs then complaining about too many in homes.
Stop importing dogs and stop chavs getting dogs.