REPORTS of animals being abandoned have rocketed in Staffordshire this year, new figures have revealed
The RSPCA say incident had rise by 11% since the start of the year – and warned of a potentially “grim” winter for pets.
The charity said that up to the end of October, 390 animals had been abandoned or dumped across the county.
The figures were released as the RSPCA launches an urgent appeal – The Big Give Back to Animals – in the hope of raising vital funds for its frontline officers.
RSPCA superintendent Simon Osborne said:
“It’s been an incredibly challenging year for many pets – and we have seen a dramatic and heartbreaking rise in abandonments this year.
“With winter upon us, plummeting temperatures and dark nights mean we fear things could get even harder in the months to come.
“Sadly, animal abandonment has become so problematic and so tragically widespread that we’ve seen more incidents every month this year when compared to 2024.
“There’s an epidemic of animal abandonment and neglect, meaning our officers are needed now more than ever to respond to those animals in the most urgent need of help.”