A surge in pet abandonments since the pandemic has left animal rehoming centres facing a capacity crisis, with charities warning up to 20,000 dogs are being put down a year as a result.
There are an estimated 100,000 dogs currently without homes in the UK, according to animal rights organisation PETA, and 550,000 unowned cats living in the UK, according to Cats Protection.
The RSPCA has previously warned that the Covid-inspired surge in pet ownership combined with rising living costs had created a “perfect storm” of animal welfare emergencies and abandonments. The charity received 20,999 reports of abandoned animals last year, 5,000 more than in 2020.
Vet Sharon Williams, who runs Celandine Wood Animal Rescue in Wirral, Merseyside said she was recently contacted by a woman who wanted to give up her Collie because he had behavioural issues.
“Our kennels were full, as they nearly always are, so I said we could help the owner with training and spent an afternoon working with her dog and he responded brilliantly,” she told i.
“So she left on a really positive note saying that…
