The RSPCA needs more people in Yorkshire to consider adopting a pet from one of its animal centres - as new figures reveal that the number of nationwide incidents involving 10 or more animals has increased nearly 70% in four years.
Last year, the charity responded to 4,200 incidents which involved at least 10 animals at the same address across England and Wales - including 471 across Yorkshire. The charity urged people considering adding a pet to their family to consider adopting to help free-up space in their overwhelmed centres. Rising cruelty and neglect led to a six-year high of animals in RSPCA care, with almost half in emergency boarding because centres are full. Many of these animals have been rescued from heartbreaking cruelty and neglect and require extensive care and rehabilitation before they can be rehomed. Many of them are involved in legal cases, which can delay rehoming further.
RSPCA Superintendent Jo Hirst said: “We are struggling with rising reports of cruelty and neglect and over recent years more and more of those reports will involve 10, 20, even 100 animals. Because they’ve been living in large groups, they may need more support until they are ready to find a new home. “We currently have more animals in our care than space in our centres. These large animal rescues are adding to already overwhelmed animal centres and local charities. We really need help from animal lovers. If you are considering adding a pet to your home, please consider rescuing. We need extra special homes for some of our animals.” Last year alone, the RSPCA responded to 1,752 mass cat incidents - almost five every single day - and 1,119 mass dog reports - that’s three every single day.
There were 75 large-scale incidents involving 100 or more animals being rescued from the same property last year alone - 13 of those included cats and three included dogs. Many were multi-agency operations involving other charities and public bodies. Cases of large numbers of animals being kept at one address can be linked to mental health struggles, the cost of living crisis or breeders operating with poor practices. RSPCA experts say that initially well-meaning individuals often see situations spiral out of control. Recent multi-animal incidents that the RSPCA has been involved in include hundreds of animals - dogs, horses, birds and cats - rescued from squalid conditions on a farm, a large number of pedigree cats rescued in poor health from one property and, last month, 20 guinea pigs were signed over from a property in South England by someone struggling to cope. More than 30 alpacas were recently rehomed in the Midlands when the owners were struggling to care for them - a job that needed outside help as the large number and size of these animals meant it was difficult to take them in at short notice.
The RSPCA will reach out to other organisations when needed to get animals the help they need. Earlier this month, the RSPCA and Metropolitan Police, alongside the local authority, rescued 25 Scottish Fold cats from a caravan in South London. They are all suffering from cartilage issues related to their breed. They are now in RSPCA care. In December, the RSPCA assisted Devon and Cornwall Police by removing more than 100 cats, a dog and a tortoise from a three-bedroom house. Working with other charities, all of the animals were successfully rehomed within three weeks. Another recent example involved an incident where more than 250 poodle-cross dogs, all from the same property, were signed over to the Dogs Trust Charity. The numbers and living conditions of the dogs had rapidly grown out of control due to extenuating family circumstances. The RSPCA took in 87 dogs and the rest went to Dogs Trust.