Adoptober campaign: RSPCA launches adoption drive as Wests Yorkshire bucks rehoming trend

The RSPCA has launched its annual Adoptober campaign encouraging prospective pet owners to consider giving a rescued animal a new home as new national figures raise concerns that more animals are being relinquished to charities at a time when rehoming has slowed.

The animal welfare charity - which operates 14 national rehoming centres across England and Wales, while supporting a network of branches with an additional 45 animal shelters - has released new figures that show nationally (across England and Wales) rehoming has dropped 8% while animal intake is up 8.4% year-on-year.

The RSPCA’s annual Adoptober rehoming drive has kicked off today and will run throughout October, promoting adoption and highlighting the many animals the charity has waiting to find their perfect match.

Releasing new figures today (4 October, World Animal Day) the RSPCA has highlighted a potential animal rescue crisis as more animals come into care, stay in rescue centres for longer, with less people coming forward to adopt.

In 2021, the RSPCA’s network of centres and branches rehomed 26,945 animals; an 8% drop compared to the previous year when 29,358 animals were rehomed, despite the Covid pandemic affecting the way in which charities across the nation could rehome.

The number of dogs rehomed by the charity also fell 6% from 4,877 in 2020 to 4,567 in 2021; while cats dropped 12% from 17,868 in 2020 to 15,579 in 2021.

In West Yorkshire, the total number of animals rehomed increased slightly by 0.5% from 714 in 2020 to 717 in 2021; bucking the trend seen in most other counties. The number of rabbits rehomed increased 40% from 25 in 2020 to 35 in 2021; and other pets increased 21% from 53 to 64. But the number of dogs rehomed fell 9% from 175 to 159; and the number of cats also decreased slightly 0.5% from 461 to 459.

Pet welfare expert Dr Samantha Gaines said: “It’s really concerning to see that animals are staying in our care for longer and that less are being rehomed year-on-year. Unfortunately, we believe we’re really starting to see the devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the cost of living crisis.

“Many of the animals - particularly dogs - who are coming into our care have behavioural challenges which could be linked to how they were bred as well as lockdown limiting the amount of training, socialising and outside world experience they had.

“We’re also beginning to see more animals coming into our care because their owners simply couldn’t afford to care for them any more; or, in the most extreme cases, having been neglected or abandoned due to the rising cost of pet care.

“For those who are able to bring a pet into their home, we are urging them to really consider adopting rather than buying. Many of our animals will already be neutered, vaccinated and treated for fleas and worms - making it much more cost-effective - and we will work them to make sure they find their perfect match.”

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