Latest news with #TheRoyalSocietyforthePreventionofCrueltytoAnimals
The Star
15-05-2025
- General
- The Star
Some British pet owners can't care for their animals anymore due to rising costs
Staff at a London animal shelter have seen more than their fair share of abandoned pets over the years, from kittens in boxes to budgies dropped outside in the dead of night. But lately there has been a surge in the numbers as people make the heartbreaking decision to give up their animal companions, no longer able to afford to care for their pets. Struggling animal owners are feeling 'a lot of heartache... and also shame and frustration that they're having to make these decisions,' said Elvira Meucci-Lyons, the boss of the Mayhew shelter in Kensal Green, west London. 'They come to us because they feel they have no choice,' she said. 'Behind every animal we take in, there's a human story.' The small centre has taken in more than 130 animals this year alone. It is part of a wider rise across Britain, where tens of thousands of pets have been abandoned since the Covid-19 pandemic and the onset of a cost-of-living crisis. Katie, a member of staff feeds a cat in its enclosure. In the first few months of this year, more than 5,700 abandonments have been reported to The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), the world's oldest animal welfare organisation – a 32% rise on the same period in 2024. Last year saw around 22,500 cases reported in total, up more than 7% on 2023. The challenge of affording animal care poses a heart-wrenching problem for many in Britain, a nation of dog and cat lovers where half the adult population – more than 26 million people – has a pet, according to the RSPCA. And it has hit the country's poorest especially hard. Staff at Mayhew said some owners were having to choose between feeding themselves or their pets. A member of staff walks between enclosures to feed the cats at the Mayhew animal shelter. Several pets at the centre – including dogs Brownie, a one-year-old toy poodle, and Astro, a pocket American bully – were brought in because their owners lost their homes due to financial troubles. Stories like these are 'the most upsetting', Meucci-Lyons said, because in hard times pet owners 'need their lovely animals more than ever and the dog or cat doesn't want to do without their owner.' Rising vet bills Mayhew staff said more pets were also arriving at the centre in Kensal Green in poor health, often because their owners cannot afford veterinary bills. Felix's case is typical. The muscular nine-year-old tomcat was playing with a length of string. But he arrived with tooth problems, with his owners bringing him to the shelter and saying they couldn't afford to keep him. 'We're seeing quite a lot more needing dental work nowadays,' said Mayhew spokeswoman Olivia Patt. Meucci-Lyons says many pet owners face shame and frustration having to give up their pets. The pandemic saw a spike in pet ownership under government lockdowns, and a subsequent wave of people then giving up their animals as normal lifestyles resumed. Some people are returning lockdown pets, several years on. But RSPCA spokesman David Bowles said that living costs, which soared during the pandemic, have become a major factor driving abandonments. 'We are now five years on from the first lockdown under Covid-19. The RSPCA believes the cost-of-living crisis is really impacting people's ability to pay for vet treatment in particular,' he said. British inflation soared above 11% in October 2022, the highest level in more than four decades, and while it has slowed in the last few years, people are still feeling the squeeze. Prices for many items including pet food have gone up by around 25%. A member of staff takes Astro, an American Pocket Bully for a walk outside its enclosure. At Mayhew, staff have been doing all they can, from providing struggling owners with pet food and animal care packages, to offering free preventative treatments. But the pressure has pushed the shelter's bubbly staff to their limits. 'We are run off our feet, we can't keep up with the demand,' said Meucci-Lyons. Even though the staff are comforted by knowing they make a difference, 'every day it is heartbreaking – we go to bed at night thinking about the dogs and cats we can't help,' she said. – AFP
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Yahoo
Watch: Stolen Labrador reunited with family after nearly 8 years
NORFOLK, U.K. (WJW) – An English family has finally been reunited with their Labrador retriever that was stolen nearly eight years ago. According to The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, an animal charity organization that operates in England and Wales, Daisy was stolen from the Old Buckenham, Norfolk family back in 2017. As reported by the BBC, Daisy was taken from the owners' garden. LOOK: 'Eagle party' spotted in Erie County reserve — how many do you see? Rita and Philip Potter spent years looking for their lost companion, but the search finally came to an end this past week. 'Daisy was discovered during a routine investigation in Weston-super-Mare, where our inspector had concerns about a number of untreated mammary masses on her body,' the RSPCA said in a Facebook post on Friday. 'Unable to provide the treatment she needed, her owner agreed to sign her over to our care.' The elderly lab was take to the RSPCA North Somerset Branch, where officials scanned for a microchip and discovered that Daisy had been reported stolen. The RSPCA said it appeared that Daisy was used for breeding and 'endured a hard life.' DeWine wants to double state tax on sportsbooks The animal charity reached out to Daisy's rightful owners and drove four hours to bring her home. The organization shared a touching video of the reunion, showing the now 13-year-old Daisy greeting family members, running around the yard and relaxing in her bed. 'Our beloved Daisy dog is home! It's been so emotional and we are delighted to have her home,' Rita said in a Facebook post. 'We would like to thank everyone who over the years have supported us and followed us through the years.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
