First 12 days of Christmas brought no joy to animals

More than 350 animals abandoned so far in December

22.12.12

There have been no gifts from a true love for hundreds of animals in England and Wales so far this Christmas.

More than 350 animals have been rescued from abandonment by us in the first half of December. At the same time, the 'festive season' has seen a shocking series of neglect and cruelty cases.

Below are just some of the animals we have helped so far this Christmas:

Rottweiler Hero

A severely emaciated dog abandoned outside a pub in Sussex in freezing conditions.

The male rottweiler was left tied up outside the Crown Hotel in Littlehampton by two women who then ran away. The women were caught on CCTV. The dog, now named Hero, weighed just 22kg. 

Eight-week-old kitten, Angel

A tiny eight-week-old kitten named Angel was found clinging onto life after being dumped with bags of rubbish in Northolt, in west London.

She was taken by an inspector to our Putney Animal Hospital in a critical condition. Angel is being fostered over Christmas while she recovers.

 

Tough times and a difficult Christmas

Other animals abandoned have included an extremely underweight dog who was found huddled on a urine-soaked bed with severe dog bite injuries and broken bones protruding through his skin, two ferrets dumped outside a hospital and 11 horses and ponies kept in stables inches deep in faeces and mud.

Our chief executive Gavin Grant said:

The run up to Christmas has not been a joyful one for these animals. Year on year more pets are being dumped and abused. Out with the old and in with the new may be true for 2012 but must not apply to people’s pets.

Sadly this Christmas and New Year is set to be our worst in living memory.

Since the 2007 credit crunch we have experienced a 65 per cent increase in the number of animals abandoned and a 23.5 per cent rise in cruelty convictions.

Abandoned and abused animals need our help

Gavin added:

We know times are tough but many owners are making real sacrifices to pay for their much-loved pets. At the same time we are seeing a sharp rise in abandoned animals and a shocking number of cases of deliberate, vicious cruelty and neglect.

Britain’s abandoned and abused animals have never needed our help more than now. RSPCA inspectors, rescue centres and hospitals will be working round the clock this Christmas to help these animals and to hold their owners to account.

 

We need your support

If you would like to help us look after animals in need, please:

• donate to our Christmas fundraising appeal online
  or 
• call 0800 988 1998.  

Thank you and Merry Christmas