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Posted: 19th June 2024

Rehoming centres ‘at breaking point’, says RSPCA
Jackson, a three-year-old German Shepherd, is one of 503 RSPCA dogs in private boarding kennels.
High intake and rising costs are putting pressure on animal shelters.

The RSPCA is encouraging the public to adopt pets rather than buying, as its rescue centres across the UK see an ‘animal welfare crisis’.

With many of its own rescue centres full, the charity has had to put more than 1,400 animals into private boarding. This is costing the charity approximately £500,000 per month.

Among the 1,441 animals being kept in private boarding kennels are 503 dogs, 201 cats, 106 rabbits, 285 horses and 58 exotic animals.

The charity’s resources are being put under pressure by the rate of which animals are arriving at its centres. It says that, currently, animals are arriving at the centres faster than they are leaving.

However the cost of living crisis is also impacting the charity, with many of the private boarding kennels having to increase their prices.

In the first four months of this year, the RSPCA spent £2.1 million on private boarding centres for the overflow of animals. Of this, £1.2 million went towards kennelling dogs, for which there was no space in RSPCA’s existing shelters.

Over 200 of these kennelled dogs are waiting to be rehomed, however, because of limited space at RSPCA’s rehoming centres, they are unable to begin the training and rehabilitation they need to find their new homes.

Rising costs are further affecting the running costs of RSPCA’s own rehoming centres. The charity reported increases in its food bills and energy costs.

The cost of living crisis is also impacting pet ownership. There has been a reduction in people interested in getting a pet, with a recent RSPCA survey finding that 72 per cent of people were not planning on getting a new pet.

The charity is therefore urging people who are planning to get a new pet to consider adopting one of its many animals, rather than buying from a breeder.

Karen Colman, head of animal logistics and welfare oversight at the RSPCA, said: “We’re launching an urgent appeal to those families who do feel they commit to the cost and responsibility of a pet to please consider adopting a rescue instead of buying from a breeder or a pet shop.

“We have hundreds of animals in our care with so much love to give, they just need a chance.”

Image © RSPCA



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