Four kittens, four ferrets and a hamster have been found after being dumped in the street in Newport. The 14-week-old kittens were found in a cat carrier outside the RSPCA Newport Animal Centre on Hartridge Road on September 17, the RSPCA said.
The hamster was abandoned on September 2 and was found in her own exercise ball which had been taped up and left in the street. Four ferrets were also found in a bag on September 23 at a lane at Hatherleigh in Newport.
The animal rights charity said it was seeing an increase in reports of abandoned animals in Wales, with figures 23% higher in the first half of 2022 than they were during the same period last year. Centre manager Nikki Tutton said the cost of living crisis was causing pet owners to struggle but that "just dumping them is not the answer. We are on a daily basis getting calls from people asking for us to take on their pets, but unfortunately this is something that we are unable to do,” she said.
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“We explain that we have no space and the animals that come into our care are those from the inspectorate. We refer them to other local charities and rescue centres, but sometimes we still do get abandonments at the centre. We appreciate that the cost of living crisis is just really taking hold and is causing pet owners to struggle - but just dumping them is not the answer.”
In Wales there were 2,509 abandoned animals reported to the RSPCA in 2021. This included 279 alone in Rhondda Cynon Taff, 191 in Caerphilly and 190 in Swansea. This year the figures have risen in Wales with 1,554 abandoned animal reports made to the charity from January to July 2022 - 23% higher than during the same period last year.
RSPCA chief inspector Elaine Spence said: “With the increase in pet ownership and the cost of living crisis putting a strain on people’s finances, we do fear we will see more animals coming into our care at a time when rehoming has slowed. A misunderstanding about the true cost of pet ownership is one of the main reasons why we believe that animals end up being abandoned and anyone considering taking on a pet is urged to do their research first and to consider rescuing instead of buying.
“For those who find themselves struggling, there are many reputable animal welfare charities who can offer help and advice and we encourage anybody in a difficult situation to seek support. Information is also available on the RSPCA's website.”
The abandoned hamster - now called Victoria - is available for rehoming and the four kittens are currently in foster care and will likely be available for rehoming in the near future.
RSPCA branches in Wales are also working with food banks to help those struggling to afford pet food such as the Wales Pet Food Bank. The charity is also starting a rehoming drive promoting adoption and encouraging people to adopt this month, dubbed Adoptober, as well as asking the public to help them rescue more animals by donating online and publishing cost of living advice for pet owners. You can read that here.
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