RSPCA warns of rehoming crisis as record numbers of dogs flood into care

In July, the RSPCA had 1,646 dogs in its care - the highest number on record and more than double the number from July 2020. Of all the animals in RSPCA care, a third of these were dogs - with 445 dogs rescued in July alone, compared to a five-year average of 245 per month. 

And because RSPCA centres are already full, almost half of those dogs are being cared for in private kennels - which, along with all the other animals being housed at private boarding establishments due to lack of space, comes at a cost of more than £650,000 a month to the charity.

Now, the charity is calling for the public’s help and urgently appealing for adopters to come forward, to give these dogs a second chance and free up space so they can continue their vital rescue work. 

“The summer is the busiest time of year for our frontline teams tackling cruelty and neglect - and on top of this, we’ve been called to help with several major incidents involving hundreds of dogs at once. It’s been so incredibly tough for our frontline teams trying to find spaces so we can bring hundreds of suffering dogs to safety,” said Glenn Mayoll, Operations Manager at the RSPCA.

“Our centres are full and we simply cannot keep up with demand.

“Our teams are working incredibly hard, under immense pressure, to protect the welfare of every dog in our care - and we’re calling on the public to help us by considering an RSPCA rescue dog.”

Due to ongoing investigations the RSPCA cannot give details about the recent large-scale incidents - dogs in RSPCA care have been rescued from heartbreaking situations of abuse, neglect or abandonment. Some require extensive rehabilitation and others are involved in ongoing legal proceedings, meaning they cannot yet be rehomed. 

The charity is urging the public to help by adopting a pet if they’re in a position to or by sharing rehoming profiles to help dogs find their new families. 

Glenn added: “We have all kinds of dogs that need loving new homes - from puppies to golden oldies, active dogs to couch potatoes, tiny pooches like Chihuahuas to big hounds like Belgian Shepherds and Cane Corsos - and everything in between. 

“Some of our dogs may need extra special homes due to the suffering they have survived  - but if anyone out there is looking to add a dog to their family, then we’d love to hear from them.”

One pooch looking for her forever home is Springer Spaniel Fig, who is currently being cared for at Felledge Animal Centre in Chester-le-Street, County Durham.

The white-and-liver coloured pooch, who is around two years old, came into RSPCA care after being rescued from a property with 80 other dogs living in unsuitable conditions, and is now looking for a calm and experienced home. 

Luka Atkinson, Deputy Centre Manager at Felledge, said: “Fig is a very sweet and friendly dog, but also nervous when meeting new people and can become overwhelmed. 

“Since arriving at Felledge, she has come on leaps and bounds and will need a patient, loving owner who can continue her training and build up her confidence.”

As a result of her sad start in life, Fig would suit an adult-only, quiet, rural home and would prefer to be the only dog in the home.

To find out more about Fig, and how to offer a home, see her rehoming profile page.

“Every adoption frees up vital space for us to rescue another animal in urgent need,” added Luka. “If you’ve ever considered adopting, now is the time - you could be the lifeline a dog is waiting for.”

To see all dogs available for adoption across the RSPCA’s centres, please visit the charity’s Find a Pet page. 

Summer should be a season of joy for animals. Long walks on golden evenings. Zoomies on the beach. Stretching out in the garden to soak up the sun. But there’s a side to summer you don’t see. For thousands of animals, it’s a season of pain, fear and suffering, when cruelty peaks.

Support our Summer Cruelty Appeal