Do we really know how to care for our pets?
As the RSPCA calls for children to be taught animal welfare in schools amid rising concerns over neglect, Closer investigates what can be done to tackle the crisis
The RSPCA saw a T five per cent rise in the number of people reporting animal neglect in 2016, including a bulldog who was repeatedly thrown down a flight of stairs and a royal python snake that was decapitated with a pair of scissors. Tragically, nearly a quarter of schoolchildren aged 10-18 have witnessed such cruelty. And despite being one of the country’s most popular animals – with 1.5million being kept as pets in the UK – rabbits are some of the most neglected pets in the world, with many owners not understanding how to care for them. Intelligent and sociable, rabbits require plenty of stimulation and attention, but many people still view them as easy-to-care-for animals that can be locked in a hutch at the end of the garden.
ABANDONED
Vet and founder of Pupaid, Marc Abraham, says the scale of their neglect is reaching crisis point. He explains, “Rabbits are one of the most abused children’s pets, as most owners don’t realise how much of a commitment they are. We live in a society where it’s not uncommon to buy pets on a whim because they look cute, but often people don’t realise how expensive they are to keep, or how much care they need. This means that as pets get older and become ‘less cute’, people often get bored with them, and the animals are either neglected or abandoned in shelters. There’s also been a rise in the number of animals who are overweight or have behavioural problems, showing that some owners are guilty of not feeding, exercising, or stimulating their pets.”
SUFFERING
As a result, the RSPCA is launching a new campaign – Generation Kind – which calls for animal welfare to be taught in all schools, so that children can develop compassion, empathy and a basic understanding of how to care for their pets. Marc says, “It’s crucial that we teach children how to care for their pets from a young age. It shows them that animals have feelings and can suffer. And it will also help them be kind in other areas of their lives – such as to their friends or siblings. It’s our duty to educate the next generation.”
Here, Closer explains the care your pet really needs...