The RSPCA is urging people not to abandon their pets and to seek support after a female boxer cross dog was left outside one of the charity’s animal centres in Warrington.
CCTV caught a man tying her to the gates of the Slutchers Lane centre – run by the RSPCA’s Warrington, Halton & St Helens branch – before walking off and leaving her behind.
The centre, which cares for cats and dogs which have been rescued by RSPCA officers, was full at the time, but staff didn’t hesitate to take her in following the incident on January 16.
Named Cassie, she is thought to be around eight years old and from her good condition and friendly disposition it’s clear she had once been someone’s much-loved pet.
It comes as alarming new figures released by the charity reveal that its officers dealt with more than 1,500 incidents of animals being abandoned in the first month of this year.
Katie Buckley, animal care manager at the centre, said: “Cassie is a lovely, friendly natured dog, who would have been left anxious and confused by what was happening to her. It’s clear she’s been well looked after in the past which makes it even harder to understand why she was given up like this.
“She adores human affection, and while she can be a little bit nervous of new people to start with, if you give her treats and cuddles, she’ll be your best friend! We’re thankful she was unharmed – and didn’t get on to any nearby roads for example – but leaving animals like this compromises their safety and puts them in danger.”
Cassie has had a veterinary check and is now ready to find a loving new home. She already knows some basic commands and gets on well with other dogs, so she could be rehomed with a companion dog of a similar age. She also will need a garden to potter around in with a family who are around for a good part of the day and possibly work from home.
As she’s an older dog, a quieter environment would suit her, so any children in the household will ideally need to be aged eight years plus. Find out more about how to adopt Cassie.
RSPCA inspector Caren Goodman James, who has made enquiries locally about the incident, said: “It’s extremely sad to see pets like Cassie being left in circumstances like this and we’d urge anyone who is struggling to look after their animals – at what is a very difficult economic time for many people – to seek advice and support.
“With the increase in pet ownership and the cost of living crisis putting a strain on people’s finances, we’re seeing more animals coming into our care at a time when rehoming has slowed.
“A misunderstanding about the true cost of pet ownership is one of the main reasons why we believe that animals end up being abandoned and we’d urge people to do their research and to consider rescuing instead of buying.”
Sadly in the first month of this year alone, RSPCA officers dealt with 1,529 incidents of animals being abandoned, compared to 1,390 for the same period in 2022, a rise of ten percent. It’s believed the cost of living crisis, coupled with the expected financial pressures on pet owners during the festive season, may have led to the upsurge.
RSPCA rehoming centres are inundated with large numbers of animals, leaving the charity to meet boarding costs while spaces become available at its centres.
The charity is urging owners to seek help before letting problems escalate and it has opened a telephone helpline – 0300 123 0650 – to support people, while practical help can be found at a recently-launched cost of living hub for those struggling to look after their pets.
Anyone with information about Cassie can contact the RSPCA’s inspectorate appeal line on 0300 123 8018.
