Last summer saw 332 calls in county over the abandonment of animals

Seven rabbits were dumped in one go in the county last year

THE RSPCA is bracing itself for a surge in abandoned animals and fears the fallout from the Covid crisis could see more owners struggling to keep their pets.

Typically, the charity sees abandonment peak in the summer months.

Between June and August 2019, 16,519 animals were reported abandoned to the RSPCA which accounts for 30% of all animals reported abandoned that year.

During the summer months the charity received 332 reports about dumped animals in Leicestershire.

This included seven rabbits dumped amongst a pile of rubbish in Newton Harcourt last summer.

A concerned member of the public reported the matter to the police after seeing rubbish at the side of Newton Lane in Newton Harcourt on 12 July 2019.

They referred the matter to the RSPCA after seeing six rabbits scurrying around the area of rubbish which included hutches, cages and bags of sawdust.

Animal Collection Officer (ACO) Jack Curran remembers arriving at the village to collect the rabbits: “It was such a sad sight. I could see straight away that one rabbit was dead in a cage, while the others were running around frightened. After a colleague and I safely caught all the rabbits, we discovered they were underweight, some were covered in fleas, and another had overgrown teeth. They were in a sorry state indeed.

“It was appalling how someone would just think to dump their pets like rubbish at the side of a road along with all the rabbit equipment. It seemed to me that someone took on these pets and then decided they couldn’t cope with looking after them so just discarded them in such a callous way.”

The RSPCA is braced for an even bigger impact this summer following the easing of lockdown and the financial impact on the coronavirus pandemic, and has launched an emergency appeal to continue its vital rescue work.

During the three months since lockdown began, the RSPCA has received reports about 3,492 abandoned animals - about 40 calls a day - including 1,509 dogs, 1,165 cats, 299 small furries such as hamsters, guinea pigs and ferrets and 275 exotic pets.

Dermot Murphy, head of the RSPCA’s animal rescue teams, said: “During lockdown we’ve seen pets become a source of comfort and support for people and it appears many people have taken on new animals. Fortunately during this time we’ve dealt with fewer abandoned pets however we are worried that as lockdown eases, people return to work, go on holidays or struggle financially we will be facing a massive surge of animal abandonments.

Dermot added: “Sadly summer tends to bring with it a surge in abandoned animals. We don’t know why but it may be a combination of the warmer weather making people feel less guilty about dumping a pet to fend for themselves and people doing away on holiday abandoning pets instead of arranging care for them.”

RSPCA rescue teams have been working throughout lockdown after being classified as essential key workers. The numbers of animals being cared for by the RSPCA has risen by more than 1,500 to 5,600** during the pandemic.

Dermot continued: “This is the toughest year yet for the RSPCA despite the huge challenges, our amazing teams have been continuing to rescue animals throughout this crisis.

“I’d urge anyone struggling with their pet to ask for help. Animals have been there to help us through the crisis, please don’t abandon them now.”

What people can do if they’re struggling to care for their pets:

■ Ask friends and family for help

■ Contact your vet about payment plans, discounts or vouchers for neutering or any other treatment needed

■ Get in touch with local rehoming charities for advice

■ Visit the RSPCA website for welfare advice

To help the RSPCA continue to rescue animals that have been abandoned this summer, please visit www.rspca.org.uk/ abandonments

Sadly summer tends to bring with it a surge in abandoned animals. We don’t know why...