Cases of animal abandonment up by over 40% in three years in Wrexham

The number of animals being abandoned in Wales have reached a shocking three year high.

Figures released today by the RSPCA Cymru show that pet abandonments have soared amid the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.

Already this year, up to the end of October, the animal welfare charity has received 17,838 reports of abandoned animals across England and Wales.

The animal welfare charity warns that if the trends continue, this 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 percent rise in abandonment calls this year.

It’s higher too than the number of reports received in 2021 (17,179) and 2022 (19,645).

Locally the number of abandoned animals in Wrexham has risen by more than 40 per cent, increasing from 53 cases in 2020 to 74 in 2023.

Across Wales abandonment reports have risen 61 per cent from 997 in 2020 to a projected 1,610 this year.

This is compared to 1,192 reports in 2021 and 1,419 in 2022.

In May an appeal was launched after Shih Tzu was found abandoned on a driveway in Shotton near Deeside.

The female dog – estimated to be around a year old – was found on Shotton Lane, in a pet carrier and with heavily matted fur. ‌​‌‌​​​‌‍‌​‌​‌‌‌​‍‌​‌​‌‌​​‍‌​​‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​​​‌‌​‍‌​‌​‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​​‌‌​‍‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​​‌‌​‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌​‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌​‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​‌​​‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​‌‌​​

Luckily she was found by the homeowners who took her to a vet, who subsequently called the RSPCA. Sadly despite extensive enquiring the person who abandoned her was not found. ‌​‌‌​​​‌‍‌​‌​‌‌‌​‍‌​‌​‌‌​​‍‌​​‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​​​‌‌​‍‌​‌​‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​​‌‌​‍‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​​‌‌​‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌​‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌​‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​‌​​‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​‌‌​​

After she was trimmed and given vet treatment she was transferred to RSPCA Bryn Y Maen Animal Centre and has found her forever home.

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 in Wales.

“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.”